From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Penitentiary \Pen`i*ten"tia*ry\
(p[e^]n`[i^]*t[e^]n"sh[.a]*r[y^]), a. [Cf. F.
p['e]nitentiaire.]
1. Relating to penance, or to the rules and measures of
penance. "A penitentiary tax." --Abp. Bramhall.
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2. Expressive of penitence; as, a penitentiary letter.
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3. Used for punishment, discipline, and reformation.
"Penitentiary houses." --Blackstone.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Penitentiary \Pen`i*ten"tia*ry\, n.; pl. {Penitentiaries}. [Cf.
F. p['e]nitencier. See {Penitent}.]
1. One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
[Obs.] --Bacon.
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2. One who does penance. [Obs.] --Hammond.
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3. A small building in a monastery where penitents confessed.
--Shpiley.
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4. That part of a church to which penitents were admitted.
--Shipley.
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5. (R. C. Ch.)
(a) An office of the papal court which examines cases of
conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc.,
and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc. Its chief
is a cardinal, called the Grand Penitentiary,
appointed by the pope.
(b) An officer in some dioceses since A. D. 1215, vested
with power from the bishop to absolve in cases
reserved to him.
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6. A house of correction, in which offenders are confined for
punishment, discipline, and reformation, and in which they
are generally compelled to labor; a prison; a jail.
Colloquially often shortened to {pen}.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
penitentiary
adj 1: used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers;
"penitentiary institutions"
2: showing or constituting penance; "penitential tears"; "wrote
a penitential letter apologizing for her hasty words" [syn:
{penitential}, {penitentiary}]
n 1: a correctional institution for those convicted of major
crimes [syn: {penitentiary}, {pen}]
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