penance

pen-ance · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    (religion) A sacrament in some Christian churches involving confession, repentance, and absolution.

  2. 2.

    An act of self-punishment or devotion performed voluntarily to show repentance for wrongdoing.

  3. 3.

    Any suffering or hardship undertaken to atone for a mistake.

Forms

plural: penances

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    do penance — to perform acts of repentance or self-punishment
  • •
    as a penance — as punishment or atonement for something

Related words

See also: atonement, confession, forgiveness, repentance
Synonyms: atonement, contrition, repentance

Etymology

From Old French peneance, from Latin paenitentia ("repentance"), from paenitere ("to cause regret, to repent").