Penitentiary
|pen-i-ten-shə-ri|
🇺🇸
/ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəri/
🇬🇧
/ˌpɛnɪˈtɛn(ə)ri/
(penitentiary)
prison for serious offenders
Etymology
'penitentiary' originates from Medieval Latin, specifically the word 'penitentiarius', where the root 'paenitentia' (Latin) meant 'repentance' or 'penance'.
'penitentiary' changed from Medieval Latin 'penitentiarius' and was influenced by Old French forms (e.g. 'penitencier') before entering English; in English usage from the 17th–18th centuries it came to be applied to institutions for moral reform and later to prisons.
Initially it meant 'relating to penance or repentance', but over time it evolved into 'an institution for reforming or confining offenders', i.e., 'prison'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a prison for people convicted of serious crimes; a correctional institution intended to punish and reform offenders.
He was sentenced to ten years in the state penitentiary.
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Noun 2
(historical or formal) A place or institution intended for penance or moral reform; originally linked to the idea of penitence.
The reformers promoted the penitentiary as a place where offenders would do penance and be reformed.
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Adjective 1
relating to or used as a penitentiary; pertaining to prisons or the penal system.
They visited the penitentiary facilities to study rehabilitation programs.
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Last updated: 2025/09/02 06:05