PENITENT

penitent, repentant

(adjective) feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds

penitent

(noun) (Roman Catholic Church) a person who repents for wrongdoing (a Roman Catholic may be admitted to penance under the direction of a confessor)

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

penitent (comparative more penitent, superlative most penitent)

Feeling pain or sorrow on account of one's sins or offenses; repentant; contrite; feeling sincere guilt.

Doing penance.

Synonyms

• See also remorseful

Noun

penitent (plural penitents)

One who repents of sin; one sorrowful on account of his or her transgressions.

One under church censure, but admitted to penance; one undergoing penance.

One under the direction of a confessor.

Synonyms

• penaunt

Hyponyms

• (one under church censure): consistent

Source: Wiktionary


Pen"i*tent, a. Etym: [F. pénitent, L. paenitens, -entis, poenitens, p.pr. of paenitere, poenitere, to cause to repent, to repent; prob. akin to poena punishment. See Pain.]

1. Feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses; repentant; contrite; sincerely affected by a sense of guilt, and resolved on amendment of life. Be penitent, and for thy fault contrite. Milton. The pound he tamed, the penitent he cheered. Dryden.

2. Doing penance. [Obs.] Shak.

Pen"i*tent, n.

1. One who repents of sin; one sorrowful on account of his transgressions.

2. One under church censure, but admitted to penance; one undergoing penance.

3. One under the direction of a confessor.

Note: Penitents is an appellation given to certain fraternities in Roman Catholic countries, distinguished by their habit, and employed in charitable acts.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

10 June 2025

COMMUNICATIONS

(noun) the discipline that studies the principles of transmiting information and the methods by which it is delivered (as print or radio or television etc.); “communications is his major field of study”


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Coffee Trivia

International Coffee Day (September 29) is an occasion to promote and celebrate coffee as a beverage, with events occurring in places across the world. A day to promote fair trade coffee and raise awareness for the coffee growers’ plight. Other countries celebrate this event on October 1.

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