lex talionis

noun

law of equivalent retaliation.

OriginLatin lex →
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Meanings

noun
  1. law of equivalent retaliation.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
mirror punishment

Origin

  1. Latinlex“proposition or motion for a law, a bill”
  2. Englishlex talionis

From Latin lex (“proposition or motion for a law, a bill”) + talionis, genitive singular of tālio (“retaliation”), from tālis (“of such kind”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan llei del talió
  • llei del taliólaw of equivalent retaliation
Chinese Mandarin 同態復仇 /同态复仇
  • 同態復仇 /同态复仇law of equivalent retaliation
French loi du talion
  • loi du talionlaw of equivalent retaliation
Spanish ley del talión
  • ley del taliónlaw of equivalent retaliation
Swedish lex talionis, talionprincipen
  • lex talionislaw of equivalent retaliation
  • talionprincipenlaw of equivalent retaliation
Tagalog balantogi
  • balantogilaw of equivalent retaliation
Cite this entry
APA

lex talionis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lex%20talionis

MLA

“lex talionis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lex%20talionis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lex talionis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lex%20talionis.

Source: lex talionis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.