retributive
1
8.0
- adjective
- /rɪˈtrɪb.jə.tɪv/
- Formal
:
retributivo
- In a retributive approach, society focuses on holding offenders accountable for their wrongdoing.
- retributive justice
- retributive punishment
- retributive logic
Their ends fill me with retributive Glee or break my heart.
- Their ends fill me with retributive Glee or break my heart.
- This is the retributive his picture that everyone may realize the dessert of his deeds.
Examples
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In contrast to restorative redress, retributive measures are actively enforced, oftentimes by an external party.
Academic text (2006) -
In other words, the bishops frequently attest to the fact that punishment must have both retributive and rehabilitative elements.
Academic text (2004) -
Therefore, constructive retributive justice leads to the restoration of good fortune.
Academic text (2006) -
In Greek thought, justice is largely viewed as being retributive and distributive, as giving people their due.
Academic text (1995) -
And once made, society gives little thought to rehabilitating the offender, since the purpose of retributive justice is to punish.
Academic text (2004) -
The contemporary assumption of retributive justice has a medieval counterpart in the feudal system.
Academic text (2001) -
Justice for Augustine is thus largely understood in a retributive sense, reflecting a practical, utilitarian meaning rather than an abstract philosophical one.
Academic text (2004) -
Instead of the traditional notion of equivalence, however, the modern version of retributive justice interprets commensurate as proportionate.
Academic text (1998) -
Also to be debated is the rationalization behind society's sentence: is the intervention intended to be rehabilitative or retributive?
Academic text (2005) -
The judge explained that retributive justice aims to ensure that criminals receive punishment proportional to their offenses.
Synonyms
19
7.8
A response that hurts someone in return for an earlier attack
Something that punishes or rewards someone for what they did
Intended as punishment to restore justice after a wrong
Intended to punish someone in return for a wrong
How Punitive
Surface Forms
Morphology
retributive = retribution (transparent) = retribut + ive
The adjective is formed from the noun 'retribution' with the productive suffix '-ive', so the meaning is directly related to 'retribution'.
Etymology
The word retributive comes from the parts re- 'back' and tribute 'payment', so it originally meant 'giving back'. That's why a retributive punishment is like a 'payback' for a wrong.