ret·ri·bu·tion
–noun
1. requital according to merits or deserts, esp. for evil.
2. something given or inflicted in such requital.
3. Theology . the distribution of rewards and punishments in a future life.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME retribucioun < MF < LL retribūtiōn- (s. of retribūtiō ) punishment, reward as result of judgment, equiv. to L retribūt ( us ) (ptp. of retribuere to restore, give back; see re-, tribute) + -iōn- -ion
—Synonyms
1, 2. retaliation, repayment, recompense. See revenge.
—Antonyms
1, 2. pardon.
retribution (ˌrɛtrɪˈbjuːʃən)
— n
1. the act of punishing or taking vengeance for wrongdoing, sin, or injury
2. punishment or vengeance
[C14: via Old French from Church Latin retribūtiō , from Latin retribuere to repay, from re- + tribuere to pay; see tribute ]
retributive
— adj
re'tributory
— adj
re'tributively
— adv
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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retribution
1382, "repayment," from L. retributionem (nom. retributio ) "recompense, repayment," from retributus, pp. of retribuere "hand back, repay," from re- "back" + tribuere "to assign, allot" (see tribute). Sense of "evil given for evil done" is from day of retribution (1526) in Christian theology, the time of divine reward or punishment.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Main Entry: ret·ri·bu·tion
Pronunciation: "re-tr&-'byü-sh&n
Function: noun
: punishment imposed (as on a convicted criminal) for purposes of repayment or revenge for the wrong committed
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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