penitence
pronunciation
How to pronounce penitence in British English:
UK [ˈpenɪtəns]
How to pronounce penitence in American English:
US [ˈpɛnɪtəns]
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- Noun:
- remorse for your past conduct
Word Origin
- penitence
- penitence: see pain
- penitence (n.)
- c. 1200, from Old French penitence (11c.) and directly from Latin paenitentia "repentance," noun of condition from paenitentum (nominative paenitens) "penitent," present participle of paenitere "cause or feel regret," probably originally "is not enough, is unsatisfactory," from paene "nearby, almost."
Synonym
Example
- 1. At the new year , the king was publicly humiliated in a ritual of penitence for his wrongdoings .