Looking for the meaning of the word PENITENTIARY in English for both noun and verb forms from the Oxford Dictionary? Below, you can explore all possible meanings and definitions of PENITENTIARY with sentence examples. You can also use the “AUDIO PRONUNCIATION” track to check the correct pronunciation in British English.
Word: Penitentiary
Speech Type: Noun
late Middle English (as a term in ecclesiastical law): from medieval Latin paenitentiarius, from Latin paenitentia ‘repentance’. The North American usage dates from the early 19th century
ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃ(ə)ri
a prison for people convicted of serious crimes.
Short Definition:prison for people convicted of serious crimes
(in the Roman Catholic Church) a priest appointed to administer penance.
Short Definition:(in Roman Catholic Church) priest appointed to administer penance
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