Phrase guide

mirror punishment

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A form of punishment that reflects the nature of the transgression that it punishes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Mirror punishments are often justified by the Biblical phrase 'an eye for an eye'.
  • The Sharia (Islamic penal code) rule of amputating a thief's stealing hand is a bloody mirror punishment.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Possibly a calque translation of Dutch spiegelstraf or German Spiegelstrafe

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: spiegelstraf — punishment