noun
- plural of attainder; the forfeiture of property and civil rights as a consequence of a sentence of death or outlawry for treason or felony
Usage: legal; historical
Examples
- The Constitution prohibits bills of attainder that would impose punishment without trial.
- Historical attainders resulted in the loss of noble titles and estates.
- Parliament reversed several attainders after the political climate changed.
- The family’s wealth was lost through attainders following the rebellion.
- Legal scholars study attainders as examples of legislative overreach.
- Medieval attainders often affected entire family lines for generations.