penitentiary

/ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəɹi/noun
Middle School
1

A state or federal prison for convicted felons; (loosely) a prison.

2

A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance.

3

One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.

4

One who does penance.

5

A small building in a monastery, or a part of a church, where penitents confessed.

6

An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc.; run by a cardinal called the Grand Penitentiary who is appointed by the pope.

7

An officer in some dioceses since 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

Sound Patterns & Rhymes

Rhymes

Words that share the same ending sound pattern

Alliteration

Words starting with the same consonant sound — used in poetry and prose to create rhythm, emphasis, and memorable phrasing (e.g. “Peter Piper picked”)

Assonance

Words sharing similar vowel sounds regardless of starting letter — creates internal melody in writing

Consonance

Words sharing similar consonant sound patterns — adds texture and cohesion to writing

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