Pronunciation: /ˈpɛnɪtənt/

Definitions of penitent

adjective feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant

Example Sentences

A1 The penitent child apologized for breaking the vase.

A2 She looked penitent as she admitted her mistake.

B1 The penitent criminal asked for forgiveness from his victims.

B2 After causing harm, he felt truly penitent and vowed to make amends.

C1 The penitent politician publicly acknowledged his wrongdoing and resigned from office.

C2 Despite his penitent attitude, he still faced consequences for his actions.

Examples of penitent in a Sentence

formal The penitent man confessed his sins to the priest.

informal She looked penitent after realizing her mistake.

slang I could tell he was feeling penitent about his actions.

figurative The storm clouds looked penitent as they rolled in.

Grammatical Forms of penitent

past tense

repented

plural

penitents

comparative

more penitent

superlative

most penitent

present tense

penitents

future tense

will penitent

perfect tense

have penitent

continuous tense

is penitenting

singular

penitent

positive degree

penitent

infinitive

to penitent

gerund

penitenting

participle

penitented

Origin and Evolution of penitent

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'penitent' originated from Latin 'paenitent-' stem of 'paenitens', present participle of 'paenitere' meaning to repent.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'penitent' has evolved to encompass not just the act of repentance but also the state of feeling remorseful or regretful for one's actions.