/ Dictionary / Index R retributive: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: re•trib•u•tive Pronunciation: (ri-trib'yu-tiv), [key] — adj. characterized by or involving retribution: retributive justice. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: retributive (Thesaurus) retribution retributivism Related Content Daily Word Quiz: panacea Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language