penal

Of, relating to, or prescribing punishment, as for breaking the law.

Subject to punishment; legally punishable.

Serving as or constituting a means or place of punishment.

Of or pertaining to punishment.

Constituting punishment; inflicted as a punishment.

Subject to penalty; incurring punishment: as, penal neglect.

Used as a place of punishment: as, a penal settlement.

Payable or forfeitable as a punishment, as on account of breach of contract, etc.: as, a penal sum.

In a more general sense, those statutes which impose a new liability for the doing or omitting of an act. Thus, a statute making the officers of a corporation personally liable for its debts if they neglect to file an annual report of its affairs is apenal statute.

Enacting or threatening punishment.