Wordwyrt

impunity

/ˌɪmpˈjuːnɪti/im-PYOO-nih-tee
/ˌɪmpˈjunɪti/im-PYOO-nih-tee

Meaningfreedom from punishment

Common meaning: freedom from punishment

‘in, into’ + ‘a penalty, punishment’ → impunity

Journey through time

  1. Latinpoena‘a penalty, punishment’
  2. Frenchimpunitésource
  3. Englishimpunity‘freedom from punishment’ · today

im- also in: imbibeimmureimpaleimpartimpede

pun also in: punishpenalrepentpenaltypenitent

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin poena ‘a penalty, punishment’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry poena, p. 1390 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • poena Latin “a penalty, punishment”

Related words

penalpenaltypenitentpunishrepent

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