What is the Latin word for penalty?

The usual Latin words for “penalty” are poena, multus, impōnō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“penalty” in Latin

poenapenalty, punishment; hardship, torment; execution multusmuch; many impōnōto place, lay, set, or put on, in, into, over, or upon; to impose upon, put upon, lay upon, inflict upon, fix, put, enjo

The English word penalty itself goes back to Latin poena, through poenālis.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

penalty

poena (general term): multa (especially a fine). To condemn to a penalty, poenam statuere in aliquem (Suet.); poenam constituere alicui (Caes.); poenam irrogare alicui (Quint.; ☞ poenam irrogare not before time of emperors; multam irrogare alicui (Cic.) was the act of the accuser, or tribune of the people, proposing that the penalty should be so much): To condemn to a penalty of so much, multam (with genitive of the amount) imponere or alicui dicere (both Liv.). I am willing to suffer the penalty of the law, non recuso, quo minus legis poenam subeam (Nep., Epam., 8, 2): to subject one’s self to a penalty, poenam or multam committere. Vid :, also PUNISHMENT.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for penalty?: The usual Latin words for “penalty” are poena, multus, impōnō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.