penitence

• pænitence (archaic)

First attested circa 13th century, from Middle English penitence, from Old French penitence, from Latin paenitentia (“repentance, penitence”), from paenitēns (“penitent”), present active participle of paeniteō (“regret, repent”). Equivalent to penitent +‎ -ence. Doublet of penance.

• enPR: pĕnʹĭ-təns

penitence (countable and uncountable, plural penitences)

1. The condition of being penitent; a feeling of regret or remorse for doing wrong or sinning.
   • 1886, Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Age of Shakespeare, John Webster:

     an assassin who misses his aim and flounders into penitence much as that discomfortable drama misses its point and stumbles into vacuity

   • 1886, Robert Louis Stevensony, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:

     As for the moral turpitude that man unveiled to me, even with tears of penitence, I cannot, even in memory, dwell on it without a start of horror.

   • 1887, W. S. Gilbert, Ruddigore, Act II:

     Away, Remorse! / Compunction, hence!. / Go, Moral Force! / Go, Penitence!

• compunction, contrition, remorse, repentance, penance, atonement

• See also Thesaurus:remorse

• paenitence
• poenitence

From Latin paenitentia.

penitence f (plural penitences)

1. (chiefly Christianity) penitence (repentance for one's sins)

• French: pénitence

• penitance
• penitaunce

Borrowed from Latin paenitentia.

penitence oblique singular, f (oblique plural penitences, nominative singular penitence, nominative plural penitences)

1. (chiefly Christianity) penitence (repentance for one's sins)

• → English: penitence
• Middle French: penitence
  • French: pénitence