1. A punishment established by law or authority for a crime or offense.
2. Something, especially a sum of money, required as a forfeit for an offense.
3. The disadvantage or painful consequences resulting from an action or condition: neglected his health and paid the penalty.
4. Sports.
   1. A punishment, handicap, or loss of advantage imposed on a team or competitor for infraction of a rule.
   2. An infraction of a rule; a foul.
5. Games. Points scored in contract bridge by the opponents when the declarer fails to make a bid. Often used in the plural.

[Middle English penalte, from Old French penalite, from Medieval Latin poenālitās, from Latin poenālis, penal. See penal.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.