Penitentiary

Quick meaning: Penitentiary is a noun meaning A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance.

Meaning

A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance.

More Meanings

1. Of or relating to penance; penitential.
2. (chiefly US) A state or federal prison for convicted felons; (loosely) a prison.
3. (obsolete) One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
4. (obsolete) One who does penance.
5. (obsolete) A small building in a monastery, or a part of a church, where penitents confessed.
6. (obsolete) An officer in some dioceses since 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.
7. (obsolete) An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc.; run by a cardinal called the Grand Penitentiary who is appointed by the pope.

Example Sentences

A penitentiary tax.

Penitentiary houses.

For quotations using this term, see Citations:penitentiary.

Topics which a priest may not treat , and which bishops declare are unfit for sacramental confession even in penitentiaries, become , with either public or private approval , the subject - matter of platform speeches

Word Forms

• penitentiaries

Synonyms for penitentiary

Depending on context, synonyms include pen, penal, punishmental, penary, punitive, punitory.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include punitive, punitory, pen, prison, jail, imprisonment.

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