corporal punishment

noun

1. Law. physical punishment, as flogging, inflicted on the body of one convicted of a crime: formerly included the death penalty, sentencing to a term of years, etc.
2. physical punishment, as spanking, inflicted on a child by an adult in authority.

corporal punishment

noun

1. punishment of a physical nature, such as caning, flogging, or beating

Word History and Origins

Origin of corporal punishment¹

First recorded in 1575–85

Example Sentences

For many boarding school students, corporal punishment was regarded as "normal", former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga, who was attending the camp the night Guide died, said in his 2015 autobiography.

From BBC

The review, commissioned a year after Smyth's death by the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, found that an argument had been made that the abuses were "examples of over-enthusiastic corporal punishment".

From BBC

Other accusations include Essex Coroner's Court "interfering with the dead" and warning Mr Brookes he would be subjected to corporal punishment.

From BBC

Posting on X last week, Dame Rachel said a ban on any kind of corporal punishment, including smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking, could stop lower-level violence from escalating.

From BBC

Dame Rachel said a ban on any type of corporal punishment, including smacking, hitting, slapping, and shaking, could stop lower level violence from escalating.

From BBC

Related Words

• spanking
• whipping