adj · 3 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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/ˈpʌnɪʃəbəl/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P AH1 N IH0 SH AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Subject to punishment; appropriate for punishment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Littering in this area is punishable by a fine of up to $100.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: castigable, disciplinable
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective satellite
Meaning 2
liable to or deserving punishment
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
punishable offenses
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
subject to punishment by law
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a penal offense
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: penal
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English punish Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-dhlom Proto-Indo-European *-dhlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English punishable From punish + -able.
Across languages
Translations
29 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
наказуем
(nakazuem)
— appropriate for punishment
Catalan:
punible
— appropriate for punishment
Chinese Mandarin:
該罰的 /该罚的
(gāifá de)
— appropriate for punishment
Chinese Mandarin:
可罰的 /可罚的
(kěfá de)
— appropriate for punishment
Czech:
trestný
— appropriate for punishment
Danish:
strafbar
— appropriate for punishment
Dutch:
strafbaar
— appropriate for punishment
Esperanto:
puninda
— appropriate for punishment
Finnish:
rangaistava
— appropriate for punishment
French:
punissable
— appropriate for punishment
French:
passible
— appropriate for punishment
Galician:
punible
— appropriate for punishment
Galician:
puníbel
— appropriate for punishment
German:
strafbar
— appropriate for punishment
Hungarian:
büntethető
— appropriate for punishment
Italian:
punibile
— appropriate for punishment
Japanese:
罰するべき
(bassuru beki)
— appropriate for punishment
Latin:
castīgābilis
— appropriate for punishment
Luxembourgish:
strofbar
— appropriate for punishment
Macedonian:
казнив
(kazniv)
— appropriate for punishment
Norman:
peunnissabl'ye
— appropriate for punishment
Polish:
karalny
— appropriate for punishment
Portuguese:
punível
— appropriate for punishment
Portuguese:
passível
— appropriate for punishment
Romanian:
penalizabil
— appropriate for punishment
Romanian:
pedepsibil
— appropriate for punishment
Russian:
наказу́емый
(nakazújemyj)
— appropriate for punishment