Word a Day
penance
What does penance mean?
penance (noun): a voluntary self-imposed punishment for a sinful act or wrongdoing.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you pronounce penance?
/ˈpɛnəns/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does penance come from?
From Middle English penaunce, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French peneance, from Latin paenitentia (“repentance, penitence”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “penance”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “penance” mean?
a voluntary self-imposed punishment for a sinful act or wrongdoing
Right! That's what “penance” means.
agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole
Not quite: that's what consensus means.
the absolute height of a location, usually measured from sea level
Not quite: that's what altitude means.
the state of being imprisoned or detained, usually pending a trial
Not quite: that's what custody means.
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