Penance: meaning, definitions and examples

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penance

 

[ ˈpɛnəns ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

religious practice

Penance is an act of self-punishment or self-discipline performed to show sorrow or regret for sins or wrongdoing. It is often done as a part of a religious practice to seek forgiveness from a higher power.

Synonyms

atonement, penitence, repentance

Examples of usage

  • Her penance for lying was to say ten prayers every night.
  • He performed acts of penance to atone for his mistakes.
  • After confessing his sins, he was given a penance of fasting for a week.
Context #2 | Noun

punishment

Penance can also refer to a punishment or suffering imposed on oneself as a way of making amends for a wrongdoing. It is a form of self-imposed discipline to pay for one's sins.

Synonyms

penitence, punishment, reparation

Examples of usage

  • She saw her volunteer work as a form of penance for her past actions.
  • His long hours of community service were his way of doing penance for his crime.

Translations

Translations of the word "penance" in other languages:

🇵🇹 penitência

🇮🇳 प्रायश्चित्त

🇩🇪 Buße

🇮🇩 penitensi

🇺🇦 покаяння

🇵🇱 pokuta

🇯🇵 懺悔 (ざんげ)

🇫🇷 pénitence

🇪🇸 penitencia

🇹🇷 tövbe

🇰🇷 참회 (chamhwae)

🇸🇦 توبة (tawba)

🇨🇿 pokání

🇸🇰 pokánie

🇨🇳 忏悔 (chànhuǐ)

🇸🇮 pokora

🇮🇸 gjald

🇰🇿 тәубе

🇬🇪 მონანიება (monanieba)

🇦🇿 tövbə

🇲🇽 penitencia

Word origin

The word 'penance' originated from the Latin word 'poenitentia', meaning repentance or regret. In religious contexts, penance has been practiced for centuries as a way to seek forgiveness and show contrition for sins. It plays a significant role in various religious traditions and has evolved to encompass both acts of self-discipline and punishment.

See also: pen, penal, penholder, penman, penmanship, penning, pennon, pens.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #13,934, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.