From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Attainder \At*tain"der\, n. [OF. ataindre, ateindre, to accuse,
convict. Attainder is often erroneously referred to F.
teindre tie stain. See {Attaint}, {Attain}.]
1. The act of attainting, or the state of being attainted;
the extinction of the civil rights and capacities of a
person, consequent upon sentence of death or outlawry; as,
an act of attainder. --Abbott.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Formerly attainder was the inseparable consequence of a
judicial or legislative sentence for treason or felony,
and involved the forfeiture of all the real and
personal property of the condemned person, and such
"corruption of blood" that he could neither receive nor
transmit by inheritance, nor could he sue or testify in
any court, or claim any legal protection or rights. In
England attainders are now abolished, and in the United
States the Constitution provides that no bill of
attainder shall be passed; and no attainder of treason
(in consequence of a judicial sentence) shall work
corruption of blood or forfeiture, except during the
life of the person attainted.
[1913 Webster]
2. A stain or staining; state of being in dishonor or
condemnation. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
He lived from all attainder of suspect. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
{Bill of attainder}, a bill brought into, or passed by, a
legislative body, condemning a person to death or
outlawry, and attainder, without judicial sentence.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
attainder
n 1: cancellation of civil rights [syn: {attainder}, {civil
death}]
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