Added 7 October 2026
penitentiary
/ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəɹi/ noun
In Latin: carcer Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about penitentiary at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A correctional institution for those convicted of major crimes.
adjective
-
Used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers.
penitentiary institutions
-
Showing or constituting penance.
penitential tears
Origin
From Middle English penitentiary, from Medieval Latin pēnitentiārius (“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.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)