The term "major penalty" is commonly used in various sports, such as ice hockey and lacrosse. It refers to a severe infraction that results in a player being sent off for a longer period of time than a regular penalty. The phonetic transcription of this term is /ˈmeɪ.dʒər ˈpɛn.əl.ti/, where the stress is on the first syllable of both words. The spelling of "major" is straightforward, while "penalty" is spelled with a /p/ sound instead of a /b/ sound that might be expected from its Latin root "poena."
A major penalty is a term primarily used in sports, especially ice hockey, to refer to a severe violation of the rules that results in a significant penalty against the offending player or team. It is a specific infraction that carries a higher degree of severity than a minor penalty.
In ice hockey, a major penalty involves a player committing an action that can potentially cause substantial harm to an opponent, such as boarding, spearing, fighting, or high-sticking. When such an offence occurs, the player is usually assessed a major penalty, resulting in the removal of the player from the game for five minutes or until a certain number of goals are scored against his team, depending on the league rules and regulations.
The major penalty also imposes additional consequences, such as the opposing team receiving an advantage by having an extra player on the ice. In some cases, a major penalty may result in an automatic game misconduct or a suspension for subsequent games.
Outside of ice hockey, the term major penalty can also be generically applied to other sports, referring to a severe infringement of the rules that results in a significant punishment for the player or team involved. However, the specific repercussions vary based on the sport and its governing body's guidelines.
The word "major" in the context of a penalty originated from the Latin word "major", which means "greater" or "larger". The term specifically refers to a significant or severe penalty in various sporting activities, particularly in ice hockey. The major penalty is typically awarded for more serious infractions, which often result in the player being sent to the penalty box for a longer duration than a minor penalty.