penitentiary

English

Etymology

(deprecated template usage) From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] 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^(key): /ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəɹi/

Noun

penitentiary (plural penitentiaries)

1. (US) A state or federal prison for convicted felons.
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.
   • (Can we date this quote by Francis Bacon and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     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.
   • (Can we date this quote by Hammond and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     To maintain a painful fight against the law of sin, is the work of the penitentiary.

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

prison

• French: pénitencier (fr) m
• German: Gefängnis (de) n
• Greek: κρατητήριο (el) n (kratitírio), σωφρονιστήριο (el) f (sofronistírio)
• Hebrew: בֵּית סֹהַר (he) m (beit sóhar)
• Irish: príosún (ga) m
• Italian: penitenziario (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 監獄 (ja) (kangoku)
• Korean: 교도소 (ko) (gyodoso)
• Norwegian: fengsel (no) n, kasjott (no) m (dated)
• Portuguese: penitenciária (pt) f
• Russian: пенитенциарий (ru) m (penitenciarij), исправительный дом (ispravitelʹnyj dom), тюрьма (ru) (tjurʹma), исправительная колония (ispravitelʹnaja kolonija)
• Spanish: penitenciaría (es) f

Further reading

• Template:projectlink

Adjective

penitentiary (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to penance; penitential.
   • (Can we date this quote by Archbishop Bramhall and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     A penitentiary tax.

2. Of or relating to the punishment of criminals.
   • (Can we date this quote by Blackstone and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     Penitentiary houses.

Coordinate terms

• (relating to the punishment of criminals): carceral

Translations

of or relating to prison

• Greek: σωφρονιστικός (el) m (sofronistikós)
• Norwegian: fengsels- (affix construction)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: пенитенциарный (ru) (penitenciarnyj)