penitentiary
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.a large prison for people who have committed serious crimes.
n.a state or federal correctional facility for the incarceration of convicted felons.
Simple“After the trial, he was sent to a state penitentiary to serve his ten-year sentence.”
In context“The defendant was sentenced to twenty years in a federal penitentiary without the possibility of early parole.”
UsageOften shortened to 'pen' in informal American slang, though the full word remains strictly formal.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
adj.relating to the punishment of criminals or the prison system.
adj.relating to or used for the punishment and reform of criminals; pertaining to the penal system.
Simple“The government is looking at new penitentiary measures to reduce crime.”
In context“The commission proposed a series of penitentiary reforms aimed at improving the living conditions of long-term inmates.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a priest in the Catholic Church who deals with the forgiveness of sins.
n.a priest or officer in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance or handles cases of conscience.
Simple“The Grand Penitentiary is a high-ranking official in the Vatican.”
In context“The bishop appointed a diocesan penitentiary to handle complex cases of absolution that required special authority.”
Synonyms
“Cuesta-Rodriguez, 70, was pronounced dead at 10.13am at the Oklahoma state penitentiary in McAlester.”
“Uthmeier’s catchy name was meant to grab attention, particularly from President Donald Trump, who had recently proposed reopening the notorious, long-shuttered Alcatraz federal penitentiary in San Francisco Bay.”
From Middle English penitentiary, from Medieval Latin pēnitentiārius (“place of penitence”), from Latin paenitentia (“penitence”), term used by the Quakers in Pennsylvania during the 1790s, describing a place for penitents to dwell upon their sins.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.