Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [pen-i-ten-shuh-ree]
- /ˌpɛn ɪˈtɛn ʃə ri/
- /ˌpen.ɪˈten.ʃər.i/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [pen-i-ten-shuh-ree]
- /ˌpɛn ɪˈtɛn ʃə ri/
Definitions of penitentiary word
- noun plural penitentiary a place for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment, especially a prison maintained in the U.S. by a state or the federal government for serious offenders. 1
- noun plural penitentiary 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. 1
- adjective penitentiary (of an offense) punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary. 1
- adjective penitentiary of, relating to, or intended for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment. 1
- abbreviation PENITENTIARY penitential. 1
- abbreviation PENITENTIARY prison 1
Information block about the term
Origin of penitentiary
First appearance:
before 1375 One of the 22% oldest English words
1375-1425; late Middle English penitenciarie priest who administers penance, prison < Medieval Latin pēnitēntiārius of penance. See penitence, -ary
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Penitentiary
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
penitentiary popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 70% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
penitentiary usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for penitentiary
noun penitentiary
- bastille — a fortress in Paris, built in the 14th century: a prison until its destruction in 1789, at the beginning of the French Revolution
- big house — a penitentiary (usually preceded by the).
- bullpen — In baseball, a bullpen is an area alongside the playing field, where pitchers can practice or warm up.
- calaboose — a prison; jail
- correctional facility — A correctional facility is a prison or similar institution.
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See also
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