penitence

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | 572 words | Copyright

penitence †penance XII; contrition leading to amendment XVI. — (O)F. pénitence — L. pænitentia, f. pænitēns, -ent-, prp. of pænitet cause want or discontent to, make sorry, perh. rel. to pæne scarcely; see -ENCE and cf. PENANCE.
So penitent adj. XIV; sb. XV. — (O)F. — L. penitential XVI. — late L. pænitentiālis. penitentiary adj. pert. to penitence XVI; pert. to reformatory treatment of criminals XVIII; sb. official dealing with penitents XV. — medL. pænitentiārius.

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T. F. HOAD. "penitence." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "penitence." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-penitence.html

T. F. HOAD. "penitence." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-penitence.html

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