Penitent
/ˈpɛn.ɪ.tənt/noun
Feeling or showing sincere regret for wrongdoing.
Did you know?Penitent comes from Latin *paenitēns*, the present participle of *paenitēre*—a verb tied to remorse and pain—so its history is literally soaked in the idea of suffering over what you’ve done.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*po(i)-
“To hurt, punish, or make pay.”
Latin
Latin
paenitēre
“To cause regret; to make someone feel remorse.”
Latin
Latin
paenitēns
“Feeling regretful; repentant.”
Old French
Old French
penitent
“Repentant; contrite.”
Middle English
English
penitent
“Feeling sorrow for sin; repentant.”
Modern English
English
penitent
“Feeling or showing sincere regret for wrongdoing.”