From Middle English, from Old French -, from Latin paenitēns, poenitēns ("penitent"), present participle of paeniteō, poeniteō ("I cause to repent; I regret, repent").

• IPA: /ˈpɛnɪtənt/

penitent

1. Feeling pain or sorrow on account of one's sins or offenses; feeling sincere guilt.

   Synonyms: repentant, contrite, Thesaurus:remorseful

   • 1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain'd. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC ↗:

     Be penitent, and for thy fault contrite.

   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC ↗:

     If thou be penitent and grieved, or desirous to be so, these heinous sins shall not be laid to thy charge.

2. Doing penance.
   • c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene ii]:

     […] But we that know what ’tis to faſt and pray, / Are penitent for your default to day.

• German: reumütig, reuig; bußfertig (religion)
• Russian: кающийся

penitent (plural penitents)

1. One who repents of sin; one sorrowful on account of their transgressions.
2. One under church censure, but admitted to penance; one undergoing penance.

   Hyponym: consistent

3. One under the direction of a confessor.

• French: pénitent
• German: Reumütiger; Bußfertiger (religion)

• German: Büßer

• German: Beichtkind
• Spanish: penitente