What does "punitive" mean?

Inflicting punishment; punishing.

Punitive

Common synonyms include: academic discipline standards, avenging, carthaginian, castigating, castigatory, chastening.

/ˈpju.nɪ.tɪv/ adj

adj ·Moderate ·College level

Adjective

1
Inflicting punishment; punishing.
"Beijing imposed punitive sanctions on Canada."

Adjective

"Jail is a very harsh punitive measure."

From Middle French punitif, from Medieval Latin pūnitīvus, from pūniō (“I punish”).