penitentiary

1 of 2

noun

pen·​i·​ten·​tia·​ry ˌpe-nə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)rē 

plural penitentiaries

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 (see curia sense 3) concerned with dispensations (see dispensation sense 2) 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 U.S.

a federal penitentiary in Virginia

penitentiary

2 of 2

adjective

pen·​i·​ten·​tia·​ry ˌpe-nə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)rē 

 sense 1 also  -ˈten(t)-shē-ˌer-ē

1

: penitential

2

: of, relating to, or incurring confinement in a penitentiary

Synonyms

Noun

• bastille
• big house [slang]
• bridewell
• brig
• calaboose
• can
• clink [slang]
• cooler
• coop
• guardroom
• hock
• hold
• hoosegow
• jail
• jailhouse
• joint [slang]
• jug
• lockup
• nick [British slang]
• pen
• pokey [slang]
• prison
• quod [British slang]
• slam
• slammer
• stir [slang]
• stockade
• tolbooth [Scottish]

Examples of penitentiary in a Sentence

Noun

a sentence in the state penitentiary for robbery

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

From a federal penitentiary in Virginia, Jose Landa-Rodriguez reconnected with an old friend in California. —Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024

But there’s a war out there in Tulsa, whose lucrative drug trade is not being overseen by the usual cartel, but by a native tribe chief (Graham Greene) who runs the Indian Brotherhood from a state penitentiary. —Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2024

Adjective

These letters, as in any penitentiary institution in the world, are read and censored. —Júlia Ledur, Washington Post, 1 June 2023

Judge Octavio Rothschuh Andino announced the release of at least 222 inmates by the Nicaraguan penitentiary system at a press conference on Thursday, saying several were already en route to the US. —Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 9 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English penitenciary, from Medieval Latin poenitentiarius, from poenitentia

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

penitentiary

noun

pen·​i·​ten·​tia·​ry

ˌpen-ə-ˈtench-(ə-)rē

plural penitentiaries

: a usually state or federal prison in which criminals are kept

Legal Definition

penitentiary

noun

pen·​i·​ten·​tia·​ry ˌpe-nə-ˈten-chə-rē 

plural penitentiaries

: a state or federal prison for the punishment and reformation of convicted felons compare house of correction, house of detention, jail, lockup