A state or country's penal code defines its crimes and describes its punishments. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries established penal colonies, where criminals were sent as punishment.

PENAL definition: 1. of or relating to punishment given by law: 2. having a harmful effect; causing disadvantage…. Learn more.

PENAL definition: of, relating to, or involving punishment, as for crimes or offenses. See examples of penal used in a sentence.

1. Of, relating to, or prescribing punishment, as for breaking the law. 2. Subject to punishment; legally punishable: a penal offense. 3. Serving as or constituting a means or place of punishment: penal …

Penal means relating to the punishment of criminals. ...director-general of penal affairs at the justice ministry. ...penal and legal systems. A penal institution or colony is one where criminals are kept as …

Whenever you see the adjective penal, you'll know it has to do with court-ordered punishment. A government's penal code, for example, is a list of crimes and the punishments imposed for each of …

penal, adj.¹ & n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary