First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1penitentiary
noun pen·i·ten·tia·ry \ˌpe-nə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)rē\
plural pen·i·ten·tia·ries
Definition of PENITENTIARY
1
a : an officer in some Roman Catholic dioceses vested with power from the bishop to deal with cases of a nature normally handled only by the bishop b capitalized : a cardinal presiding over a tribunal of the Roman curia concerned with dispensations and indulgences
2
: a public institution in which offenders against the law are confined for detention or punishment; specifically : a state or federal prison in the United States
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Origin of PENITENTIARY
Middle English penitenciary, from Medieval Latin poenitentiarius, from poenitentia
Related to PENITENTIARY
- Synonyms
- bastille, big house [slang], bridewell, brig, calaboose, can, clink [slang], cooler, coop, guardroom, hock, hold, hoosegow, jailhouse, joint [slang], jug, lockup, nick [British slang], pen, jail, pokey [slang], prison, quod [British slang], slam, slammer, stir [slang], stockade, tolbooth [Scottish]
Other Legal Terms
2penitentiary
adjective pen·i·ten·tia·ry \ˌpe-nə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)rē, 1 also -ˈten(t)-shē-ˌer-ē\
Definition of PENITENTIARY
1
2
: of, relating to, or incurring confinement in a penitentiary
First Known Use of PENITENTIARY
1577
Other Legal Terms
Rhymes with PENITENTIARY
PENITENTIARY Defined for Kids
penitentiary
noun pen·i·ten·tia·ry \ˌpe-nə-ˈten-shə-rē\
plural pen·i·ten·tia·ries
Definition of PENITENTIARY for Kids
: prison
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