penitent

ˈpɛnɪtənt

Definition

Definition of penitent - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

remorseful person

Dated

person who feels sorry for their sins

Dated

The penitent knelt in prayer, seeking forgiveness.

contrite

remorseful

repentant

confession

Dated

individual confessing sins to a priest

Dated

The penitent spoke quietly to the priest during confession.

confessor

repentant

sinner

Adjective

apologeticexpressing sincere remorse and seeking forgiveness

The penitent man asked for forgiveness.

contrite

remorseful

repentant

religion

Dated

undergoing penance as a sign of repentance

Dated

He was penitent during the church service.

contrite

remorseful

repentant

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Origin of penitent

Latin, paenitens (repenting)

Examples of penitent in a sentence

As a penitent, she attended the service to atone.
The penitent waited in line for confession.
A penitent approached the altar with reverence.
Her penitent expression showed her regret.
He wrote a penitent letter to his friend.
She felt penitent after the harsh words she spoke.

The penitent sinner sought forgiveness from the community.

View all translations of penitent

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:pénitent, repentant, ...
German:Büßer, reumütig, ...
Italian:penitente, pentito, ...
Spanish:penitente, contrito, ...
Portuguese:penitente, arrependido, ...
Chinese:忏悔者, 悔过的, ...
Japanese:悔悛者, 悔い改めた, ...
Arabic:تَائِب, نَادِم, ...
Hebrew:בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה, חָרֵט, ...
Russian:кающийся, раскаивающийся, ...
Ukrainian:каяник, каючийся, ...
Hindi:पश्चातापी, क्षमाप्रार्थी, ...
Bengali:অনুতপ্ত ব্যক্তি, অনুতপ্ত, ...
Catalan:penitent, contrit, ...
Czech:kajícník, kajícný, ...
Danish:angrende, skriftende, ...
Dutch:berouwvolle, berouwvol, ...
Greek:μετανοημένος, απολογητικός, ...
Hungarian:bűnbánó, megtört, ...
Khmer:អ្នកសារភាពបាប, សោកស្តាយដោយស្មោះ, ...
Korean:참회자, 참회하는, ...
Persian:توبه‌کار, پشیمان, ...
Polish:pokutnik, skruszony, ...
Portuguese (BR):arrependido, contrito, ...
Romanian:penitent, căit, ...
Swedish:botfärdig, ångerfull, ...
Thai:ผู้สำนึกผิด, สำนึกผิด, ...
Turkish:günahkar, tövbekar, ...
Vietnamese:người ăn năn, ăn năn, ...

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.

Definition of penitent - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

Adjective

Origin of penitent

Terms related to penitent

Examples of penitent in a sentence

View all translations of penitent

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

Get more than a simple definition

Go from understanding to mastery