penitent

[pen-i-tuhnt]

adjective

1. feeling or expressing sorrow for sin or wrongdoing and disposed to atonement and amendment; repentant; contrite.

   Synonyms: sorrowful, rueful, remorseful
   Antonyms: impenitent, unrepentant

noun

1. a penitent person.

2. Roman Catholic Church.,  a person who confesses sin and submits to a penance.

penitent

/ ˈpɛnɪtənt /

adjective

1. feeling regret for one's sins; repentant

noun

1. a person who is penitent

2. Christianity

   1. a person who repents his sins and seeks forgiveness for them

   2. RC Church a person who confesses his sins to a priest and submits to a penance imposed by him

Other Word Forms

• penitently adverb
• nonpenitent adjective
• unpenitent adjective
• unpenitently adverb
• penitence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of penitent¹

1325–75; Middle English < Medieval Latin pēnitent-, Latin paenitent- (stem of paenitēns ), present participle of paenitēre to regret; replacing Middle English penaunt < Anglo-French; penance

Word History and Origins

Origin of penitent¹

C14: from Church Latin paenitēns regretting, from paenitēre to repent, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

Two of his victims took their own lives some years before the trial - a fact which he acknowledged in court with the same penitent but formulaic apology that he's offered to everyone else.

From BBC

He’s genuflecting and appears penitent, it’s him with no public or private, shipwrecked in place in a way.

From Los Angeles Times

In Ecuador, thousands of penitents accompanied a statue of Jesus the Almighty in a march through the capital, while In Cuba, faithful marked Good Friday with a procession through the streets of Havana.

From Seattle Times

But it also happens to be Ash Wednesday, the solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Christianity’s most penitent season.

From Seattle Times

Blood splatters like raindrops from the tattooed body of a Filipino penitent as he flagellates himself to atone for sins.

From Seattle Times