sanction

From French sanction, from Latin sanctio.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsæŋkʃən/

• Audio (US)

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sanction (countable and uncountable, plural sanctions)

1. An approval, by an authority, generally one that makes something valid.
2. A penalty, punishment, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance; especially one adopted by several nations, or by an international body.
3. A law, treaty, or contract, or a clause within a law, treaty, or contract, specifying either of the above.

sanction (third-person singular simple present sanctions, present participle sanctioning, simple past and past participle sanctioned)

1. (transitive) To ratify; to make valid.
2. (transitive) To give official authorization or approval to; to countenance.
   • 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.21:

     Many of the most earnest Protestants were business men, to whom lending money at interest was essential. Consequently first Calvin, and then other Protestant divines, sanctioned interest.

3. (transitive) To penalize (a State etc.) with sanctions.

• actinons, canonist, cantions, contains

From Latin sanctio

• IPA^(key): /sɑ̃k.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

sanction f (plural sanctions)

1. sanction

• “sanction” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).