prohibitory

Prohibitory is an English adjective describing something that is forbidden or restricted by law, regulation, or official authority. It derives from the Latin prohibere, meaning to prevent, and is commonly used in legal, regulatory, and policy contexts to denote formal restraint.

In legal usage, the term appears in phrases such as prohibitory injunction or prohibitory order. A prohibitory injunction is a court order that forbids a party from engaging in a particular act or activity, aimed at preventing harm or preserving the status quo. Prohibitory relief is typically contrasted with mandatory relief, which requires an affirmative action rather than restraint. The concept emphasizes prohibiting rather than compelling.

Historically, the Prohibitory Act of 1775 is a notable example of the term’s application in international law and imperial policy. Passed by the Parliament of Great Britain, the act prohibited most forms of trade with the American colonies and authorized the seizure of colonial ships and cargoes. It represented an economic measure intended to pressure the colonies by cutting off trade, and it contributed to the rising tensions that culminated in the American Revolutionary War.

Beyond specific statutes, prohibitory measures are common in regulatory regimes that aim to ban or limit certain activities, such as prohibitory laws on imports or environmental restrictions. The term remains a general descriptor for rules that forbid particular conduct, providing a formal linguistic mark of restraint within legal and policy documents.