corporal punishment — physical punishment intended to cause pain as a form of discipline
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: physical punishment intended to cause pain as a form of discipline
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkɔːrpərəl ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/
Example Sentences
- The principal explained why corporal punishment was like trying to fix a computer with a hammer.
- Many countries have completely abolished corporal punishment in schools.
- The debate over corporal punishment continues to divide educators and parents.
corporal punishment
NOUN[/ˈkɔːrpərəl ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/]
physical punishment intended to cause pain as a form of discipline
The strict headmaster delivers corporal punishment with a wooden ruler to a trembling student's palm.
Temporal punishment creates a moral dilemma
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The term derives from Latin 'corporalis', meaning 'of or pertaining to the body'. The phrase emerged in medieval and early modern legal contexts to distinguish physical punishment administered to the body from other forms of penalty, with roots tracing back to Roman legal terminology.
Breakdown
corporal (from Latin corporalis, 'bodily') + punishment (from Old French punir, 'to penalize'). The compound denotes penalty inflicted directly upon the physical body.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The principal explained why corporal punishment was like trying to fix a computer with a hammer.”
“Many countries have completely abolished corporal punishment in schools.”
“The debate over corporal punishment continues to divide educators and parents.”
“He joked that his grandmother's wooden spoon was the ultimate weapon of corporal punishment.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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