1425-75;late Middle English, noun use of Anglo-Frenchattaindre to convict, Old Frenchataindre to convict, attain
Examples from the web for attainder
At early common law, an offender convicted of a capital offense was placed in a state of attainder.
No attainder shall work corruption of blood, nor except during the life of the offender forfeiture of estate.
No conviction of treason or attainder shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture of estate.
British Dictionary definitions for attainder
attainder
/əˈteɪndə/
noun
1.
(formerly) the extinction of a person's civil rights resulting from a sentence of death or outlawry on conviction for treason or felony See also bill of attainder
2.
(obsolete) dishonour
Archaic equivalent attainture (əˈteɪntʃə)
Word Origin
C15: from Anglo-French attaindre to convict, from Old French ateindre to attain
Word Origin and History for attainder
n.
"extinction of rights of a person sentenced to death or outlaw," mid-15c., from noun use of Old French ataindre "to touch upon, strike, hit, seize, accuse, condemn" (see attain). For use of French infinitives as nouns, especially in legal language, cf. waiver.