penitentiary

pen·i·ten·tia·ry

 (pĕn′ĭ-tĕn′shə-rē)

n. pl. pen·i·ten·tia·ries

1. A prison for those convicted of major crimes.

2. Roman Catholic Church

a. A tribunal of the Roman Curia having jurisdiction in matters relating to penance, dispensations, and papal absolutions.

b. A priest whose special function is the administration of the sacrament of penance in a particular church or diocese.

adj.

1. Of or for the purpose of penance; penitential.

2. Relating to or used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers.

3. Resulting in or punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary: a penitentiary offense.

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[Middle English penitenciarie, penance officer, episcopal prison, from Medieval Latin pēnitentiāria, feminine of pēnitentiārius, from Latin paenitentia, penitence, from paenitēns, penitent; see penitent.]

penitentiary

(ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃərɪ)

n, pl -ries

1. (Law) (in the US and Canada) a state or federal prison: in Canada, esp a federal prison for offenders convicted of serious crimes. Sometimes shortened to: pen

2. (Roman Catholic Church) RC Church

a. a cleric appointed to supervise the administration of the sacrament of penance in a particular area

b. a priest who has special faculties to absolve particularly grave sins

c. a cardinal who presides over a tribunal that decides all matters affecting the sacrament of penance

d. this tribunal itself

adj

3. another word for penitential¹

4. (Law) US and Canadian (of an offence) punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary

[C15 (meaning also: an officer dealing with penances): from Medieval Latin poenitēntiārius, from Latin paenitēns penitent]

pen•i•ten•tia•ry

(ˌpɛn ɪˈtɛn ʃə ri)

n., pl. -ries,
adj. n.

1. a place for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment, esp., in the U.S., a state or federal institution for serious offenders.

2. a tribunal in the Curia Romana, presided over by a cardinal having jurisdiction over certain matters, as penance, confession, or dispensation.

adj.

3. (of an offense) punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary.

4. of, pertaining to, or intended for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment.

5. penitential.

[1375–1425; late Middle English penitenciarie priest who administers penance, prison < Medieval Latin pēnitentiārius of penance. See penitence, -ary]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	penitentiary - a correctional institution for those convicted of major crimes pen correctional institution - a penal institution maintained by the government
Adj.	1.	penitentiary - used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers; "penitentiary institutions" punitive, punitory - inflicting punishment; "punitive justice"; "punitive damages"
	2.	penitentiary - showing or constituting penance; "penitential tears"; "wrote a penitential letter apologizing for her hasty words" penitential penitent, repentant - feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds

penitentiary

noun

A place for the confinement of persons in lawful detention:

brig, house of correction, jail, keep, prison.

Informal: lockup, pen.

Slang: big house, can, clink, cooler, coop, hoosegow, joint, jug, pokey, slammer, stir.

Chiefly Regional: calaboose.

Translations

Justizvollzugsanstalt

pénitentiaire

penitenziariopenale

fengselkasjott

penitentiary

[ˌpenɪˈtenʃərɪ] N (esp US) (= prison) → penitenciaria f

penitentiary

[ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəri] n (US) → prison f

penitentiary

n (esp US: = prison) → Strafanstalt f, → Gefängnis nt

penitentiary

[ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃərɪ] n (esp Am) (prison) → penitenziario, carcere m