penitentiary

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin penitentiaria (“place of penitence”), term used by the Quakers in Pennsylvania during the 1790s, describing a place for penitents to dwell upon their sins.

Pronunciation

• enPR: pĕn'·ĭ·tĕnʹ·shə·rē, IPA: /ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəɹi/, X-SAMPA: /%pEnI"tEnS@r\i/

Noun

penitentiary (plural penitentiaries)

1. (US) A state or federal prison for convicted felons.
2. (Roman Catholic Church) A priest who administers the sacrament of penance.
3. (obsolete) One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)

4. (obsolete) One who does penance.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Hammond to this entry?)

5. (obsolete) A small building in a monastery, or a part of a church, where penitents confessed.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shipley to this entry?)

6. (obsolete) 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, appointed by the pope.
7. (obsolete) An officer in some dioceses since 1215 A.D., vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.

Synonyms

• (prison): pen

Derived terms

• pen

Translations

prison

• French: pénitencier (fr) m
• German: Gefängnis (de) n
• Greek: κρατητήριο (el) (kratitírio) n, σωφρονιστήριο (el) (sofronistírio) f
• Italian: penitenziario (it)

• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Norwegian: fengsel (no) n, kasjott (no) m (dated)
• Portuguese: penitenciária (pt) f
• Russian: пенитенциарий (ru) (penitenciarij) m
• Spanish: penitenciaría (es) f

External links

• Penitentiary (prison) in the 1921 edition of Collier's Encyclopedia.

Adjective

penitentiary (not comparable)

1. of or relating to penance; penitential
   • Archbishop Bramhall

     A penitentiary tax.

2. of or relating to the punishment of criminals
   • Blackstone

     Penitentiary houses.

Coordinate terms

• carceral

Translations

of or relating to prison

• Greek: σωφρονιστικός (el) (sofronistikós) m
• Norwegian: fengsels- (affix construction)

• Russian: пенитенциарный (ru) (penitenciarnyj)