penitential

American  

[pen-i-ten-shuhl] / ˌpɛn ɪˈtɛn ʃəl /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, proceeding from, or expressive of penitence or repentance.

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noun

1. a penitent.

2. a book or code of canons relating to penance, its imposition, etc.

penitential British  

/ ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. of, showing, or constituting penance

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noun

1. RC Church a book or compilation of instructions for confessors

2. a less common word for penitent penitent

Other Word Forms

• penitentially
  adverb
• unpenitential
  adjective
• unpenitentially
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of penitential

1500–10; < Medieval Latin pēnitēntiālis, Late Latin paenitēntiālis. See penitent, -ial

Explanation

If someone is penitential, they're remorseful about something they did. Being truly penitential for losing your brother's phone means buying him a new one — not just saying, "Oh, sorry!" The adjective penitential is less common than its synonym, penitent, but you can use it whenever you're truly contrite. The penitential letter you write your neighbor after your baseball shatters his kitchen window will probably make you both feel better. This word is often used in a religious context, describing people repenting their sins. The Latin root, pænitere, means "cause or feel regret."

Example Sentences

Hammon, a Long Island, New York, slave, is remembered as the first published African-American poet, with his poem “An Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ With Penitential Cries,” published in 1761 in the colonies.

From Washington Times • Sep. 16, 2014

Munich, also, with the Penitential Psalms, etc., by Hans Mielich.

From Illuminated Manuscripts by Bradley, John William

He was afterwards transplanted from his peaceful solitude to Court, where he was appointed Chaplain in Ordinary to Prince Charles, and was known as the Penitential Preacher.

From Devon, Its Moorlands, Streams and Coasts by Northcote, Rosalind

Penitential Psalms or Psalms of Confession, is a name given from very early times to Psalms vi., xxxii., xxxviii., li., cii., cxxx., which are specially expressive of sorrow for sin.

From The Nuttall Encyclopædia Being a Concise and Comprehensive Dictionary of General Knowledge by Nuttall, P. Austin

The Psalms appointed are the seven Penitential Psalms, viz., the 6th, 32d, and 38th, used at Morning Prayer; the 51st used in the Penitential Office, and 102d, 130th and 143d read at Evening Prayer.

From The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia by Miller, William James