Penal

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

1. Of or pertaining to punishment, to penalties, or to crimes and offenses; pertaining to criminal jurisprudence: as:

2. Enacting or threatening punishment; as, a penal statue; the penal code.

3. Incurring punishment; subject to a penalty; as, a penalact of offense.

4. Inflicted as punishment; used as a means of punishment; as, a penal colony or settlement. "Adamantine chains and penal fire." Milton. Penal code (Law), a code of laws concerning crimes and offenses and their punishment. -- Penal laws, Penal statutes (Law), laws prohibited certain acts, and imposing penalties for committing them. -- Penal servitude, imprisonment with hard labor, in a prison, in lieu of transportation. [Great Brit.] -- Penal suit, Penal action (Law), a suit for penalties.