penitentiary

noun
UK: /pəˈnɪtnʃəri/
US: /pəˌnɪtnˈʃeri/

  1. A prison for people who have committed serious crimes.

    1. He was sent to the penitentiary for robbery.
    2. The state penitentiary houses some of the most dangerous criminals in the region.

Synonyms

prison correctional facility jail
penitentiary adjective

  1. Relating to or used for punishment in a prison.

    1. The penitentiary system was reformed.
    2. The penitentiary regulations have become more strict after that escape.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "penitentiary" is /pəˈnɪtnʃəri/ in British English and /pəˌnɪtnˈʃeri/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "penitentiary": prison, correctional facility, jail.

Example usage of "penitentiary": "He was sent to the penitentiary for robbery.". More examples on the page.