Caning is a physical punishment where a person is struck a number of times by a cane that is usually made of rattan. Also called flogging or whipping, the cane is most commonly used against a person’s hands, back, or buttocks. Caning has been used as a punishment in both educational and judicial settings. While the practice has been outlawed in many countries that used to favor caning, it is still utilized in several as both a school and criminal punishment.
[Last updated in July of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]