adj
penitent
PEH-nih-tuhnt
Penitent (adj) means feeling genuine sorrow or guilt for having done wrong. Example: “The penitent teenager admitted to breaking curfew and apologized to his parents.”
adj
1
Feeling genuine sorrow or guilt for having done wrong.
"The penitent teenager admitted to breaking curfew and apologized to his parents."
noun
1
A person who feels and shows remorse for their wrongdoing, especially in a religious context.
"The penitents knelt in the chapel, praying for forgiveness."
How to use penitent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSorry in a deep, sincere way for something you did wrong.
Common pairings
a penitent sinner
look penitent
truly penitent
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Word forms
- Plural
- penitents
- Comparative
- more penitent
- Superlative
- most penitent
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ teenager admitted to breaking curfew and apologized to his parents.
Etymology
From Old French penitent, from Latin paenitēns, present participle of paenitēre, "to repent."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “penitent” mean?
The word “penitent” means feeling genuine sorrow or guilt for having done wrong. In plain terms, sorry in a deep, sincere way for something you did wrong.
How do you pronounce “penitent”?
“Penitent” is pronounced PEH-nih-tuhnt (/ˈpɛnɪtənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “penitent” in a sentence?
Here is “penitent” used in a sentence: “The penitent teenager admitted to breaking curfew and apologized to his parents.”
What part of speech is “penitent”?
Depending on how it is used, “penitent” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “penitent” come from?
The word “penitent” comes from Latin. From Old French penitent, from Latin paenitēns, present participle of paenitēre, "to repent.".
How many meanings does “penitent” have?
“Penitent” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: feeling genuine sorrow or guilt for having done wrong.
