Aug 18, 2025 · A penitentiary represents a specific type of correctional institution within the broader justice system. It serves as a place of confinement for individuals who have been convicted of …

The meaning of PENITENTIARY is 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.

Feb 5, 2024 · Explore the penitentiary vs. prison ordeal. Learn to recognize the key differences for a better outlook on how the justice system works.

Add to word list a prison: a federal / state penitentiary (Definition of penitentiary from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

The term penitentiary is derived from the Latin term paenitentia, meaning repentance. A penitentiary refers to a prison or place of confinement used to hold and correct criminals who have been …

Despite these semantic differences, however, in contemporary use "penitentiary" and "prison" have come to hold much the same meaning: they are sites of confinement that both protect the free public …

Definition of penitentiary noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Dec 11, 2025 · From Middle English penitentiary, from Medieval Latin pēnitentiārius (“place of penitence”), from Latin paenitentia (“penitence”), term used by the Quakers in Pennsylvania during …

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 …

What does penitentiary mean? A penitentiary is a prison, especially a state or federal prison in the United States or Canada. Penitentiaries typically house criminals who have committed major crimes. …