Impunity
/ɪmˈpjuːnɪti/noun
Exemption from punishment or freedom from the consequences of an action.
Did you know?Impunity comes from Latin roots tied to penalty and punishment, so the word literally names the state of being beyond the reach of retribution.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
impunitas
“freedom from punishment, unpunished state”
Latin
Latin
impunitus
“unpunished, free from penalty”
Latin
Latin
punire
“to punish, chastise”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*poi̯n-
“to pay, atone, compensate”