Dictionary

penitent en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɛnɪtənt/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin paenitēns, poenitēns (“penitent”), present participle of paeniteō, poeniteō (“to cause to repent; to regret, repent”). Doublet of penitente.

Meanings

1. Feeling pain or sorrow on account of one's sins or offenses; feeling sincere guilt.
   • Be penitent, and for thy fault contrite. 1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:
   • If thou be penitent and grieved, or desirous to be so, these heinous sins shall not be laid to thy charge. 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:
2. Doing penance.
   • […] But we that know what ’tis to faſt and pray, / Are penitent for your default to day. c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

Forms

Deriveds

penitence · unpenitent · penitently · nonpenitent

Synonyms

remorseful · repentant · contrite · guilt-ridden · contrite · apologetic · penitent · repentant

Translations (24)

el μετανοών (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · sv botfärdig (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · ga aithríoch (doing penance) · kmr poşman (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · fi katuvainen (doing penance) · de reumütig (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · hy զղջացող (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · fi katuva (doing penance) · de reuig (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · hy ապաշխարող (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · cs kajícný (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · de bußfertig (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · ca penitent (doing penance) · ru раскаивающийся (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · la paenitens (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · fi katuva (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · bg каещ се (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · ru кающийся (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · sv ångerfull (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · eo pentanta (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · ga aithríoch (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · ca penedit (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · fi katuvainen (feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses) · sv botgörande (doing penance)

penitent en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɛnɪtənt/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin paenitēns, poenitēns (“penitent”), present participle of paeniteō, poeniteō (“to cause to repent; to regret, repent”). Doublet of penitente.

Meanings

1. One who repents of sin; one sorrowful on account of their transgressions.
2. One under church censure, but admitted to penance; one undergoing penance.
   • Wamba, who defeated the Saracens in an attempt upon Spain, was deprived of the crown, because he had been clothed in the habit of a penitent, while labouring under the influence of poison, administered by the ambitious Erviga! 1837, William Russell, The History of Modern Europe: with an Account of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Longman, Rees, & Co., page 20:
3. One under the direction of a confessor.

Forms

Translations (31)

es penitente (one under the direction of a confessor) · pt penitente (one who repents of sin) · ga aithríoch (one under the direction of a confessor) · de Beichtkind (one under the direction of a confessor) · hy խոստովանորդի (one under the direction of a confessor) · sk kajúcnik (one who repents of sin) · sv botgörare (one undergoing penance) · cs kajícník (one who repents of sin) · pl penitentka (one under the direction of a confessor) · ca penitent (one under the direction of a confessor) · mi kairīpenetā (one who repents of sin) · fr pénitent (one who repents of sin) · id peniten (one who repents of sin) · nl biechteling (one under the direction of a confessor) · ga aithríoch (one undergoing penance) · ca penitent (one who repents of sin) · pt penitente (one under the direction of a confessor) · pt penitente (one undergoing penance) · id peniten (one undergoing penance) · sv biktbarn (one under the direction of a confessor) · de Büßer (one undergoing penance) · fi ripittäytyjä (one under the direction of a confessor) · he בעל תשובה (one who repents of sin) · eo pentanto (one who repents of sin) · ca penitent (one undergoing penance) · fi katumuksentekijä (one who repents of sin) · de Reumütiger (one who repents of sin) · pl penitent (one under the direction of a confessor) · de Bußfertiger (one who repents of sin) · ga aithríoch (one who repents of sin) · sv botfärdig syndare (one who repents of sin)