talion

Examples

• All

• Some societies rejected talion in favor of more rehabilitative justice systems.

• Debates about talion often arise when discussing the fairness of strict punishments.

• The concept of talion is often debated in moral philosophy.

• In ancient societies, talion was a common form of justice.

• The ancient law of talion demanded punishment that mirrored the crime, such as an eye for an eye.

• Some societies embraced talion to ensure that offenders faced consequences equal to their actions.

• Discussions about talion often focus on its implications for modern justice and fairness.

Synonyms

P

payback

vstalion

• Offensive

118 5.5

Harming someone to punish them for something they did

is a formal principle of equal legal punishment rather than vengeful retaliation

R

retribution

vstalion

87 7.5

Punishment people give because someone did something wrong and others think it is fair

is narrower, stressing exact equality of penalty rather than moral desert

A

an eye for an eye

vstalion

• Informal

13 5.1

Punishment that gives the same harm back to the person who did the wrong

is the same principle but named more technically or formally

L

lex talionis

vstalion

• Formal

1 9.9

A rule that a punishment is equal to the crime, like 'an eye for an eye'

is the same rule expressed in general, nontechnical language

A

an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth

vstalion

• Informal

5.9

To punish someone in the same way they hurt another person

is the same rule but in shorter, more general proverb form

R

requital

vstalion

• Literature

9.9

A punishment someone gets because of a wrong they did

is focused on the equal matching of harm rather than general deservedness

Antonyms

M

mercy

609 1.3

Kindness shown to someone who is suffering or could be punished

F

forgiveness

333 2.2

An act of letting go of anger toward someone after they hurt you

Surface Forms

Etymology