Prison vs. Penitentiary

Prisonnoun

A place or institution of confinement, especially of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable by the government.

Prisonnoun

(uncountable) Confinement in prison.

Prisonnoun

(colloquial) Any restrictive environment, such as a harsh academy or home.

Prisonverb

(transitive) To imprison.

Prisonnoun

A place where persons are confined, or restrained of personal liberty; hence, a place or state o confinement, restraint, or safe custody.

Prisonnoun

Specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority.

Prisonverb

To imprison; to shut up in, or as in, a prison; to confine; to restrain from liberty.

Prisonverb

To bind (together); to enchain.

Prisonnoun

a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

Prisonnoun

a prisonlike situation; a place of seeming confinement

Prison

A prison, also known as a jail or gaol (dated, British, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correctional facility, lock-up or remand center is a facility in which inmates (or prisoners) are confined and denied a variety of freedoms under the authority of the state as punishment for various crimes. Prisons are most commonly used within a criminal justice system: people charged with crimes may be imprisoned until their trial; those pleading or being found guilty of crimes at trial may be sentenced to a specified period of imprisonment.

Penitentiarynoun

(US) A state or federal prison for convicted felons.

Penitentiarynoun

A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance.

Penitentiarynoun

(obsolete) One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.

Penitentiarynoun

(obsolete) One who does penance.

Penitentiarynoun

(obsolete) A small building in a monastery, or a part of a church, where penitents confessed.

Penitentiarynoun

(obsolete) An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc.; run by a cardinal called the Grand Penitentiary who is appointed by the pope.

Penitentiarynoun

(obsolete) An officer in some dioceses since 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.

Penitentiaryadjective

Of or relating to penance; penitential.

Penitentiaryadjective

Of or relating to the punishment of criminals.

Penitentiaryadjective

Relating to penance, or to the rules and measures of penance.

Penitentiaryadjective

Expressive of penitence; as, a penitentiary letter.

Penitentiaryadjective

Used for punishment, discipline, and reformation.

Penitentiarynoun

One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.

Penitentiarynoun

One who does penance.

Penitentiarynoun

A small building in a monastery where penitents confessed.

Penitentiarynoun

That part of a church to which penitents were admitted.

Penitentiarynoun

An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc. Its chief is a cardinal, called the Grand Penitentiary, appointed by the pope.

Penitentiarynoun

A house of correction, in which offenders are confined for punishment, discipline, and reformation, and in which they are generally compelled to labor; a prison; a jail. Colloquially often shortened to pen.

Penitentiarynoun

a correctional institution for those convicted of major crimes

Penitentiaryadjective

used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers;