handicap vs penalty

penalty vs handicap

handicap and penalty both are nouns.

handicap is a verb but penalty is not a verb.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
handicap	Yes	No	Yes	No
penalty	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, penalty is a hyponym of handicap; that is, penalty is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than handicap:

handicap: advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning
penalty: (games) a handicap or disadvantage that is imposed on a competitor (or a team) for an infraction of the rules of the game

Other hyponyms of handicap include scratch.

handicap (noun)	penalty (noun)
advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning	the act of punishing, or the infliction of a penalty
something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress	the disadvantage or painful consequences of an action or condition
the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness	(games) a handicap or disadvantage that is imposed on a competitor (or a team) for an infraction of the rules of the game
	a payment required for not fulfilling a contract

handicap (verb)	penalty (verb)
injure permanently
put at a disadvantage
attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant

Difference between handicap and penalty

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