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penitentiary

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pen⋅i⋅ten⋅tia⋅ry

  [pen-i-ten-shuh-ree] noun, plural -ries, adjective
Use penitentiary in a Sentence
–noun
1. a place for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment, esp. a prison maintained in the U.S. by a state or the federal government for serious offenders.
2. Roman Catholic Church. a tribunal in the Curia Romana, presided over by a cardinal (grand penitentiary), having jurisdiction over certain matters, as penance, confession, dispensation, absolution, and impediments, and dealing with questions of conscience reserved for the Holy See.
–adjective
3. (of an offense) punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary.
4. of, pertaining to, or intended for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment.
5. penitential.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME penitenciarie priest who administers penance, prison < ML pēnitēntiārius of penance. See penitence, -ary
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pen·i·ten·tia·ry   (pěn'ĭ-těn'shə-rē)   
n.   pl. pen·i·ten·tia·ries

  1. A prison for those convicted of major crimes.

  2. Roman Catholic Church

    1. A tribunal of the Roman Curia having jurisdiction in matters relating to penance, dispensations, and papal absolutions.

    2. A priest whose special function is the administration of the sacrament of penance in a particular church or diocese.

adj.  

  1. Of or for the purpose of penance; penitential.

  2. Relating to or used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers.

  3. Resulting in or punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary: a penitentiary offense.


[Middle English penitenciarie, penance officer, episcopal prison, from Medieval Latin pēnitentiāria, feminine of pēnitentiārius, from Latin paenitentia, penitence, from paenitēns, penitent; see penitent.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

penitentiary 
c.1421, "place of punishment for offenses against the church," from M.L. penitentiaria, from fem. of penitentiarius (adj.) "of penance," from L. pænitentia "penitence" (see penitence). Meaning "house of correction" first found 1806 (originally an asylum for prostitutes). Slang shortening pen is attested from 1884.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: pen·i·ten·tia·ry
Pronunciation: "pe-n&-'ten-ch&-rE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ries
: a state or federal prison for the punishment and reformation of convicted felons —compare HOUSE OF CORRECTION, HOUSE OF DETENTION, JAIL, LOCKUP
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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