English Meaning & Definitions
Feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant.
- “The judge showed leniency because the defendant appeared truly penitent.”
- “She offered a penitent apology for her harsh words.”
A person who repents of their sins or seeks forgiveness, especially one who performs religious penance under the direction of a confessor.
- “The church welcomed the penitents seeking spiritual renewal during Lent.”
- “He knelt at the altar as a humble penitent.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “penitent”.
Derived from the Latin 'paenitentem' (meaning 'repenting'), the present participle of 'paenitere' (to repent or make sorry). It entered Middle English via Old French in the 14th century, originally carrying strong religious connotations regarding confession and contrition for sins.
Think of a person in a 'tent' feeling 'penned' in by guilt, trying to be 'penitent'.
Frequently Asked Questions About “penitent”
1. What is the meaning of “penitent” in English?
In English, penitent (adjective) is defined as: “Feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant.”.
2. How do you use “penitent” in a sentence?
“The judge showed leniency because the defendant appeared truly penitent.”
3. What are English synonyms of “penitent”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “penitent”?
Derived from the Latin 'paenitentem' (meaning 'repenting'), the present participle of 'paenitere' (to repent or make sorry). It entered Middle English via Old French in the 14th century, originally carrying strong religious connotations regarding confession and contrition for sins.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.