Definition:
- (a.) Relating to penance, or to the rules and measures of penance.
- (a.) Expressive of penitence; as, a penitentiary letter.
- (a.) Used for punishment, discipline, and reformation.
- (n.) One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
- (n.) One who does penance.
- (n.) A small building in a monastery where penitents confessed.
- (n.) That part of a church to which penitents were admitted.
- (n.) An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc. Its chief is a cardinal, called the Grand Penitentiary, appointed by the pope.
- (n.) An officer in some dioceses since A. D. 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.
- (n.) A house of correction, in which offenders are confined for punishment, discipline, and reformation, and in which they are generally compelled to labor.
Compare penitentiary with other words:
penitentiary vs. plenipotentiary
carceral vs. penitentiary
criminal vs. penitentiary
penitentiary vs. punishment
penitential vs. penitentiary
pen vs. penitentiary
absolve vs. penitentiary
bishop vs. penitentiary
diocese vs. penitentiary
officer vs. penitentiary
cardinal vs. penitentiary
penitentiary vs. pope
penitentiary vs. vow
dispensation vs. penitentiary
absolution vs. penitentiary
conscience vs. penitentiary
papal vs. penitentiary
court vs. penitentiary
office vs. penitentiary
confess vs. penitentiary
church vs. penitentiary
building vs. penitentiary
monastery vs. penitentiary
penance vs. penitentiary
penitentiary vs. sacrament
administer vs. penitentiary
felon vs. penitentiary
penitentiary vs. priest
penitentiary vs. prison
convicted vs. penitentiary
federal vs. penitentiary
penitentiary vs. state
penitence vs. penitentiary
penitent vs. penitentiary