penitent /penˈi-tənt/

1. Suffering pain or sorrow for past sin and feeling a desire to reform
2. Contrite
3. Repentant
4. Expressing sorrow for sin
5. Undergoing penance
6. Appropriate to penance

1. A person who repents of his or her sin
2. Someone who has confessed sin, and is undergoing penance
3. A member of one of various orders devoted to penitential exercises and work among criminals, etc (RC)

penˈitence noun

penˈitency noun (rare)

penitential /-tenˈshl/ adjective

Of the nature of, relating to or expressive of penitence

1. A book of rules relating to penance
2. A penitent
3. (in pl) the behaviour or garb of a penitent
4. Black clothes (informal)

penitenˈtially adverb

penitentiary /-tenˈshə-ri/ adjective

1. Relating to penance
2. Penitential
3. Penal and reformatory

1. A prison (N American)
2. A penitent
3. An officer who deals with cases of penitence and penance
4. A Roman Catholic office (under the Grand Penitentiary) at Rome dealing with cases of penance, dispensations, etc
5. A book for guidance in imposing penances
6. A place for the performance of penance (obsolete)
7. An asylum for prostitutes (archaic)
8. A reformatory prison or house of correction

penˈitently adverb

penitent form noun

A seat for penitents at an evangelistic meeting

penitential garment noun

A rough garment worn for penance

penitential psalms plural noun

Seven psalms (numbers 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143) suitable for singing by penitents

• bootmakers
• bootmaking
• bootmakings
• boots
• boot sale
• boots and all
• boots and saddles
• bootstrap
• bootstrapped
• bootstrapping
• bootstraps
• boot-topping
• boot-toppings
• boot-tree
• boot virus
• boot viruses
• booty
• booty call
• booty calls
• bootylicious
• boo-word
• boo-words
• booze
• booze cruise
• booze cruises