PENALTY

noun (plural -ties) Etymology: Middle English penalte, from Middle French penalité, from Medieval Latin poenalitas, from Latin poenalis Date: 15th century the suffering in person, rights, or property that is annexed by law or judicial decision to the commission of a crime or public offense, the suffering or the sum to be forfeited to which a person agrees to be subjected in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations, 3. disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action, a disadvantage (as loss of yardage, time, or possession of the ball or an addition to or subtraction from the score) imposed on a team or competitor for violation of the rules of a sport, points scored in bridge by the side that defeats the opposing contract, ~ adjective