Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
adj
Of or relating to penance; penitential.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Of or relating to the punishment of criminals.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: penal, punishmental, penary, penitentiary
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A state or federal prison for convicted felons; (loosely) a prison.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
Synonyms: pen
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
One who does penance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A small building in a monastery, or a part of a church, where penitents confessed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc.; run by a cardinal called the Grand Penitentiary who is appointed by the pope.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An officer in some dioceses since 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
showing or constituting penance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: penitential
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a correctional institution for those convicted of major crimes
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: pen
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: correctional institution
History
From Middle English penitentiary, from Medieval Latin pēnitentiārius (“place of penitence”), from Latin paenitentia (“penitence”), term used by the Quakers in Pennsylvania during the 1790s, describing a place for penitents to dwell upon their sins.
Across languages
52 source translations are retained for this English entry.
