penitentiary

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: penitentary, penitential, penitentially, sententiary, penitentials

Antonyms: penitentary, penitential, penitentially, sententiary, penitentials

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. {{lb|en|chiefly|US}} A [[state]] or [[federal]] [[prison]] for [[convicted]] [[felon]]s; {{lb|en|broadly}} a [[prison]].
2. A [[priest]] in the [[Roman Catholic]] Church who [[administer]]s the [[sacrament]] of [[penance]].
3. {{lb|en|obsolete}} One who prescribes the rules and measures of [[penance]].
4. {{lb|en|obsolete}} One who does [[penance]].
5. {{lb|en|obsolete}} A small [[building]] in a [[monastery]], or a part of a [[church]], where [[penitent]]s [[confess]]ed.
6. {{lb|en|obsolete}} An [[office]] of the [[papal]] [[court]] which examines cases of [[conscience]], confession, [[absolution]] from [[vow]]s, etc., and delivers decisions, [[dispensation]]s, etc.; run by a [[cardinal]] called the Grand Penitentiary who is appointed by the [[pope]].
7. {{lb|en|obsolete}} An [[officer]] in some [[diocese]]s since 1215, vested with power from the [[bishop]] to [[absolve]] in cases reserved to him.

Adjective

1. Of or relating to penance; [[penitential]].
2. Of or relating to the [[punishment]] of [[criminal]]s.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.