Associations to the word «Penitent»

Wiktionary

PENITENT, adjective. Feeling pain or sorrow on account of sins or offenses; repentant; contrite; sincerely affected by a sense of guilt, and resolved on amendment of life.
PENITENT, adjective. Doing penance.
PENITENT, noun. One who repents of sin; one sorrowful on account of his or her transgressions.
PENITENT, noun. One under church censure, but admitted to penance; one undergoing penance.
PENITENT, noun. One under the direction of a confessor.

Dictionary definition

PENITENT, noun. (Roman Catholic Church) a person who repents for wrongdoing (a Roman Catholic may be admitted to penance under the direction of a confessor).
PENITENT, adjective. Feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds.

Wise words

Words are always getting conventionalized to some secondary meaning. It is one of the works of poetry to take the truants in custody and bring them back to their right senses.
William Butler Yeats