penance
[ pen-uh ns ]
/ ˈpɛn əns /
noun
a punishment undergone in token of penitence for sin.
a penitential discipline imposed by church authority.
a sacrament, as in the Roman Catholic Church, consisting in a confession of sin, made with sorrow and with the intention of amendment, followed by the forgiveness of the sin.
Origin of penance
1250–1300; Middle English
penaunce < Anglo-French; Old French
peneance < Latin
paenitentia
penitence
OTHER WORDS FROM penance
pen·ance·less, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH penance
penance pennantsWords nearby penance
penalty point,
penalty rates,
penalty shoot-out,
penalty shot,
penalty stroke,
penance,
penang,
penannular,
penates,
pence,
pencel
Example sentences from the Web for penance
British Dictionary definitions for penance
penance
/ (ˈpɛnəns) /
noun
voluntary self-punishment to atone for a sin, crime, etc
a feeling of regret for one's wrongdoings
Christianity
- a punishment usually consisting of prayer, fasting, etc, undertaken voluntarily as an expression of penitence for sin
- a punishment of this kind imposed by church authority as a condition of absolution
verb
(tr)
(of ecclesiastical authorities) to impose a penance upon (a sinner)
Word Origin for penance
C13: via Old French from Latin
paenitentia repentance; related to Latin
poena penalty