different between penitentiary vs penitence

English

Etymology

From Middle English penitentiary, from Medieval Latin p?nitenti?rius (“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.

Pronunciation

• enPR: p?n'·?·t?n?·sh?·r?, IPA^(key): /?p?n??t?n???i/

Noun

penitentiary (plural penitentiaries)

1. (chiefly US) A state or federal prison for convicted felons; (broadly) a prison.
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:penitentiary.
2. A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance.
3. (obsolete) One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
   • 1623, Francis Bacon, A Discourse of a War with Spain

     Upon the loss of Urbin, the duke's undoubted right, no penitentiary, though he had enjoined him never so straight pennance to expiate his first offence, would have counselled him to have given over pursuit of his right, which he prosperously re-obtained.

4. (obsolete) One who does penance.
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 who is appointed by the pope.
7. (obsolete) An officer in some dioceses since 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.

Synonyms

• (prison): pen

Related terms

• pen
• penitence

Translations

Further reading

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

Adjective

penitentiary (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to penance; penitential.
   • 1654, John Bramhall, A Just Vindication of the Church of England from the Unjust Aspersion of Criminal Schism

     A penitentiary tax.

2. Of or relating to the punishment of criminals.

   • Penitentiary houses.

Coordinate terms

• (relating to the punishment of criminals): carceral

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• pænitence (archaic)

Etymology

First attested circa 13th century, from Middle English penitence, from Old French penitence, from Latin paenitentia (“repentance, penitence”), from paenit?ns (“penitent”), present active participle of paenite? (“regret, repent”). Doublet of penance.

Pronunciation

• enPR: p?n??-t?ns

Noun

penitence (countable and uncountable, plural penitences)

1. The condition of being penitent; a feeling of regret or remorse for doing wrong or sinning.

Synonyms

• compunction, contrition, remorse, repentance, penance, atonement

• See also Thesaurus:remorse

Related terms

Translations

Middle French

Alternative forms

• paenitence
• poenitence

Etymology

From Latin paenitentia.

Noun

penitence f (plural penitences)

1. (chiefly Christianity) penitence (repentance for one's sins)

Descendants

• French: pénitence

Old French

Alternative forms

• penitance
• penitaunce

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin paenitentia.

Noun

penitence f (oblique plural penitences, nominative singular penitence, nominative plural penitences)

1. (chiefly Christianity) penitence (repentance for one's sins)

Descendants

• ? English: penitence
• Middle French: penitence
  • French: pénitence