Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable The practice or institution of punishing the innocent for the sake of providing deterrence.
  • noun countable An instance of telishing.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Coined by John Rawls in his 1955 paper “Two Concepts of Rules”. Probably a portmanteau of the Ancient Greek τέλος (telos, "result”, “end”, loosely “the greater good") and the English (pun)ishment. Compare telish.

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