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   penitentiary

   /ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃ(ə)ri/

   noun

   • 1. a prison for people convicted of serious crimes. North American
   • 2. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a priest appointed to administer penance.
   • ▪ an office in the papal court forming a tribunal for deciding on questions relating to penance, dispensations, and absolution.

   Word Origin late Middle English (as a term in ecclesiastical law): from medieval Latin paenitentiarius, from Latin paenitentia ‘repentance’. The North American usage dates from the early 19th century.

   Scrabble Points: 17

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