restitution
Americannoun
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reparation made by giving an equivalent or compensation for loss, damage, or injury caused; indemnification.
- Synonyms:
- repayment , satisfaction , requital , compensation , amends , recompense
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the restoration of property or rights previously taken away, conveyed, or surrendered.
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restoration to the former or original state or position.
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Physics. the return to an original physical condition, especially after elastic deformation.
noun
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the act of giving back something that has been lost or stolen
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law the act of compensating for loss or injury by reverting as far as possible to the position before such injury occurred
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the return of an object or system to its original state, esp a restoration of shape after elastic deformation
Usage
What does restitution mean? Restitution is payment or some other form of compensation that is given to make up for loss, damage, or injury that has been caused.Restitution can also refer to the act or process of compensating someone in this way.The point of restitution is to return what has been lost or stolen or to repair the damage or injury that has been done so that things can be returned to how they originally were or as close as possible.The word is especially used in a legal context to refer to compensation that is required by someone who has caused loss, damage, or injury as part of a crime. Restitution often involves monetary payments, but it can involve other forms of compensation.Example: The defendant was ordered to pay $1 million dollars in restitution to compensate for injuries and property damage.
Related Words
See redress.
Other Word Forms
- nonrestitution noun
- restitutive adjective
- restitutory adjective
- unrestitutive adjective
Etymology
Origin of restitution
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English restitucioun, from Old French restitution, restitucion, from Latin restitūtiōn- (stem of restitūtiō ) “a rebuilding, restoration,” equivalent to restitūt(us) + -iōn-. See restitute, -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the amounts that Javice and Amar already owe the bank and the federal government in restitution are well in excess of their existing wealth.
He made restitution for the full amount, court records show.
From Salon
He noted that while many residents of the city "don't care" about the restitution conversation, the museum still offered something valuable.
From BBC
She has long been a supporter of West African art restitution.
From BBC
In postapartheid South Africa, land restitution, often with public funds and land, “contributed to restoration and reconciliation.”
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
