penitentiary — a prison, especially a federal prison for people convicted of serious crimes
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a prison, especially a federal prison for people convicted of serious crimes
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəri/
Example Sentences
- The notorious criminal was transferred to a maximum security penitentiary.
- He joked that his college dorm felt like a penitentiary with better food.
- The old penitentiary was converted into a museum after closing.
penitentiary
NOUN[/ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəri/]
a prison, especially a federal prison for people convicted of serious crimes
After the trial, he was sent to a maximum-security penitentiary for twenty years.
From penitentiary to monastery, a voluntary journey to sanctuary
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Latin paenitentia, meaning 'repentance' or 'remorse'. The term originally referred to a place where sinners could repent and atone for their crimes, eventually evolving to designate a prison or correctional institution.
Breakdown
paenitentia (repentance) + -ary (suffix denoting a place or institution). The suffix -ary transforms the noun into an adjective-noun form indicating a location associated with the root concept.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The notorious criminal was transferred to a maximum security penitentiary.”
“He joked that his college dorm felt like a penitentiary with better food.”
“The old penitentiary was converted into a museum after closing.”
“She said her strict boarding school was like a penitentiary for teenagers.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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