See Also: penitentiary(medicine)
penitentiary(dictionary)
penitentiary(dictionary)
USNE PENITENTIARY EMPLOYEES Credit Union(finance)

penitentiary (iou)



penitentiary noun & adjective. LME.
[medieval Latin paenitentiarius, from paenitentia: see PENITENCE, -ARY1.]
A. noun.
I. A place of penitential discipline or punishment for ecclesiastical offences. LME-M17.
Hist. A refuge for prostitutes resolving to change their way of life. E19.
A reformatory prison; spec. a State or federal prison. N. Amer. E19.
II.
a. A priest appointed to administer penance, spec. one vested with power to deal with extraordinary cases. LME.
b. An office or congregation in the papal court, forming a tribunal for deciding on questions relating to penance, dispensations, etc. M17.
= PENITENT noun 1, 2. M16-M17.
A member of a religious order encouraging personal discipline etc. Cf. PENITENT noun 3. M-L17.
Phrases: grand penitentiary a cardinal who presides over the penitentiary of the papal court and has the granting of absolution in cases reserved for the papal authority.
b. adjective.
Of or pertaining to penance; administering or undergoing penance. L16.
Expressive of penitence; repentant. rare. L18.
Intended for or pertaining to the penal and reformatory treatment of criminals. L18.
Of an offence: punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary. US. M19.
penitentiaryship noun the office or position of an ecclesiastical penitentiary or confessor L16-E18.