a place for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment, esp. a prison maintained in the U.S. by a state or the federal government for serious offenders.

Roman Catholic Church . a tribunal in the Curia Romana, presided over by a cardinal (grand penitentiary), having jurisdiction over certain matters, as penance, confession, dispensation, absolution, and impediments, and dealing with questions of conscience reserved for the Holy See.

(of an offense) punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary.

of, pertaining to, or intended for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment.

penitential.

noun

big house * , campus , can * , college , cooler * , correctional institution , inside * , joint * , lockup * , pen * , penal institution , prison , reformatory , slammer * , stockadenotes:a jail is a short-term detention facility for those awaiting trial or convicted of minor offenses; a prison or penitentiary is a long-term detention facility for those convicted of major offenses , brig , house of correction , keep , can , clink , cooler , coop , jail , joint , jug , pen , poky , slammer , stir , stockade