penance

[ pen-uhns ]

noun

1. a punishment undergone in token of penitence for sin.
2. a penitential discipline imposed by church authority.
3. 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.

penance

/ ˈpɛnəns /

noun

1. voluntary self-punishment to atone for a sin, crime, etc
2. a feeling of regret for one's wrongdoings
3. Christianity
   1. a punishment usually consisting of prayer, fasting, etc, undertaken voluntarily as an expression of penitence for sin
   2. a punishment of this kind imposed by church authority as a condition of absolution

verb

1. tr (of ecclesiastical authorities) to impose a penance upon (a sinner)

penance

1. Acts done to make up for sin. ( See confession and indulgence .)

Other Words From

• penance·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of penance¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English penaunce, from Anglo-French; Old French peneance, from Latin paenitentia penitence

Word History and Origins

Origin of penance¹

C13: via Old French from Latin paenitentia repentance; related to Latin poena penalty

Example Sentences

Or, rather, he was dragging the cross on a wheel, which offended me largely because he wasn’t doing the Christlike physical penance he was advertising.

From Slate

The temple, meanwhile, said it had done its own penance.

From BBC

And ever since, he’s been doing penance.

From Slate

The smooth-faced pontiff, mourning Rome's destruction and now at the mercy of the Emperor who destroyed it, ceased shaving as a sign of contrition and penance for sins that surely were the cause of God's punishment.

From Salon

So, it comes down to if Bill Carstanjen, the chief executive at Churchill Downs, believes that a penance has been paid or if, according to a recent court filing by Baffert owner Amr Zedan, Carstanjen is “pursuing a crazed vendetta at the expense of letting fair, healthy competition run its course.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absolution
• atonement
• contrition
• forgiveness
• penitence
• remorse
• repentance
• retribution