straf

Straf is a term used in several Germanic languages to denote punishment or penalty imposed by a law, authority, or rule. The concept covers the range of sanctions that a state or institution may apply for breaking rules, such as fines, imprisonment, or other disciplinary measures.

In Dutch, straf is the word for punishment or penalty. It appears in compounds such as strafbaar (punishable), strafrecht (criminal law), strafmaat (severity of the penalty), and gevangennisstraf (a prison sentence). The phrase to serve a sentence is commonly used, for example “een straf uitzitten.” Dutch usage spans both legal and everyday contexts.

In the Nordic languages, cognate forms exist with similar meanings. In Danish the noun is straf, while in Norwegian and Swedish the forms straff or straff are used. Across these languages, the meaning remains punishment or penalty, and the term appears in legal phrases such as straffbare handling (action that is punishable) or straffutmåling (determination of the sentence).

In German, the related term is Strafe, meaning punishment or penalty, with related forms such as straffbar (punishable) and strafrecht (criminal law). Although spelling and exact usage differ by language, these cognates share a common concept of sanctions imposed for offenses or rule violations.

Etymologically, straf and its cognates derive from a common Germanic root related to punishment or penalty, with parallel terms across Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and German. See also punishment, penalty, and criminal law.