Death penalty
Death penalty
The Death penalty (pronunciation: /ˈdɛθ ˈpɛnəlti/), also known as capital punishment (pronunciation: /ˈkapɪtəl ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/), is a government-sanctioned practice whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, which means "regarding the head", referring to execution by beheading.
Etymology
The term "death penalty" comes from the Old English deaþ, meaning "death", and the Latin poena, meaning "penalty". The term "capital punishment" is derived from the Latin capitalis, meaning "of the head", and punire, meaning "to punish".
Related terms
- Capital crime: A crime that is punishable by death.
- Execution: The act of carrying out the death penalty.
- Life imprisonment: A sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime, often for most or even all of the criminal's remaining life, in some cases without the possibility of parole.
- Mandatory sentence: A court decision setting where judicial discretion is limited by law.
- Moratorium: A delay or suspension of an activity or a law.
See also
- List of methods of capital punishment
- Capital punishment by country
- Capital punishment debate in the United States
- Capital punishment in the United Kingdom
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Death penalty
- Wikipedia's article - Death penalty
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