penance

pronunciation

How to pronounce penance in British English: UK [ˈpenəns]word uk audio image

How to pronounce penance in American English: US [ˈpɛnəns] word us audio image

  • Noun:
    remorse for your past conduct
    a Catholic sacrament; repentance and confession and satisfaction and absolution
    voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for some wrongdoing

Word Origin

penance
penance: see pain
penance (n.)
late 13c., "religious discipline or self-mortification as a token of repentance and as atonement for some sin," from Anglo-French penaunce, Old French peneance (12c.), from Latin pænitentia (see penitence). Transferred sense is recorded from c. 1300.

Example

1. The bank settled quickly with u.s. regulators , paying $ 100 million to the us treasury as penance .
2. Another penance was the drinking of milk .
3. He received an axe after doing penance for shiva .
4. Are you willing to do penance for your sins , my son ?
5. The chief executive has served his penance .

more: >How to Use "penance" with Example Sentences