penance — an act of showing that you feel sorry about something that you have done, sometimes for religious reasons
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: an act of showing that you feel sorry about something that you have done, sometimes for religious reasons
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpenəns/
Example Sentences
- After forgetting their anniversary, his penance was watching three romantic comedies in a row.
- The monk performed his daily penance by walking barefoot on the cold stone floor.
- She considered cleaning her teenager's room as adequate penance for any past wrongdoings.
penance
NOUN[/ˈpenəns/]
an act of showing that you feel sorry about something that you have done, sometimes for religious reasons
an act of showing that you feel sorry about something that you have done, sometimes for religious reasons
He removes the pennants in penance, watched by faithful tenants!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Latin 'paenitentia', which comes from the verb 'paenitere' meaning 'to repent' or 'to feel regret'. In medieval Christian theology, the term evolved to denote acts of atonement or expiation performed to seek forgiveness for sins.
Breakdown
paenitere (to repent, feel regret) + -entia (suffix indicating state or condition), forming 'paenitentia' (the state of repentance).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“After forgetting their anniversary, his penance was watching three romantic comedies in a row.”
“The monk performed his daily penance by walking barefoot on the cold stone floor.”
“She considered cleaning her teenager's room as adequate penance for any past wrongdoings.”
“The court ordered community service as penance for his minor traffic violations.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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