CASTIGATION Meaning and
Definition
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Castigation is a noun that refers to the act of reprimanding or criticizing someone severely and often publicly due to their perceived wrongdoing, error, or misconduct. It involves disciplinary measures that aim to correct behavior or express disapproval with a strong and condemning tone. The purpose behind castigation is to inflict punishment or to shame the individual in order to deter them from repeating the offense or to publicly display their culpability.
When someone undergoes castigation, they are subject to harsh verbal condemnation or even physical punishment. This often involves public humiliation, scorn, or rebuke, emphasizing the severity of their actions and intending to fuel remorse or evoke feelings of guilt. Castigation may be administered by authorities, social groups, or individuals with higher status within a community, institution, or organization.
This term can also be used metaphorically, extending beyond human subjects to encompass various elements or phenomena subject to criticism, censure, or strong disapproval. In this sense, castigation can apply to actions, events, ideas, or systems that are deemed faulty, harmful, or inappropriate and are chastised accordingly.
Overall, castigation serves as a means to forcefully correct or condemn individuals or entities, seeking to instill a sense of remorse, bring about reform, or establish collective norms and values.
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Correction by stripes; a whipping.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for CASTIGATION
Etymology of CASTIGATION
The word "castigation" originated from the Latin word "castigare" which is a combination of "castus" meaning "pure, clean" and "agere" meaning "to make". Therefore, "castigare" means "to make clean or pure". Over time, "castigare" evolved to "castigatio" in Latin, and eventually into "castigation" in English, retaining the basic meaning of "punishment" or "correction", with the sense of improving or making someone morally better through discipline and reproof.
Similar spelling words for CASTIGATION
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