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Definition of Penitentiary
1. Adjective. Used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers. "Penitentiary institutions"
2. Noun. A correctional institution for those convicted of major crimes.
3. Adjective. Showing or constituting penance. "Wrote a penitential letter apologizing for her hasty words"
Definition of Penitentiary
1. a. Relating to penance, or to the rules and measures of penance.
2. n. One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
Definition of Penitentiary
1. Noun. (American English) A state or federal prison for convicted felons. ¹
2. Noun. (''Roman Catholic Church'') A priest who administers the sacrament of penance. ¹
3. Adjective. of or relating to penance; penitential ¹
4. Adjective. of or relating to the punishment of criminals ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Penitentiary
1. [n -RIES]
Medical Definition of Penitentiary
1. Origin: Cf. F. Penitencier. See Penitent. 1. One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance. 2. One who does penance. 3. A small building in a monastery where penitents confessed. 4. That part of a church to which penitents were admitted. 5. 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. An officer in some dioceses since A. D. 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him. 6. A house of correction, in which offenders are confined for punishment, discipline, and reformation, and in which they are generally compelled to labour. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Penitentiary
Literary usage of Penitentiary
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. Index of Economic Material in the Documents of the States of the United by Adelaide Rosalia Hasse, Carnegie Institution of Washington. Dept. of Economics and Sociology (1912)
"penitentiary receives no remuneration for gas furnished Deaf and Dumb and Blind
... As to transfer of prisoners from reformatory to penitentiary; opinion of ..."
2. Index of Economic Material in Documents of the States of the United States by Adelaide Rosalia Hasse (1910)
"Comparative ann. stmt. of financial condition of Branch penitentiary. ...
Condensed showing of clerk's books— Eddyville penitentiary. ..."
3. Bulletin of the New York Public Library by New York Public Library (1911)
"6, 1824 seen only as Appendix (B) 3 to Report of select committee on Milbank
penitentiary of June 11, 1824. Continued as: Report of the inspectors of ..."
4. South Eastern Reporter by West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, West Publishing Company, South Carolina Supreme Court (1920)
"Convicts c=>7—Supervisor may select convicts to work roads without consent of
super Intendent of penitentiary. Under Act Feb. 25, 1914 (28 St. at Large, p. ..."
5. United States Supreme Court Reports by Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company, United States Supreme Court (1889)
"The judgment was that the petitioner, Hans Nielsen, baring been convicted of the
crime of adultery, be imprisoned in the penitentiary of the Territory for ..."
6. A History of the People of the United States: From the Revolution to the by John Bach McMaster (1895)
"NEW YORK penitentiary. steadily growing debt, the visiting judges and the Governor
begin the vicious practice of making the number of discharges equal to ..."
7. Annual Report by Correctional Association of New York (1870)
"It thus appears that, in effect, the penitentiary has been ... Eastern penitentiary,
at Philadelphia. This is now the only prison in the United States in ..."
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