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penitent

Pronunciation: /ˈpɛnɪtənt/

The English word “penitent” has 5 meanings listed here.

adjective

  1. Feeling pain or sorrow on account of one's sins or offenses; feeling sincere guilt.
  2. Doing penance.

noun

  1. One who repents of sin; one sorrowful on account of their transgressions.
  2. One under church censure, but admitted to penance; one undergoing penance.
  3. One under the direction of a confessor.

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin paenitēns, poenitēns (“penitent”), present participle of paeniteō, poeniteō (“to cause to repent; to regret, repent”). Doublet of penitente.

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