You searched for: “penitentiary”
jail, gaol; prison, penitentiary
jail (JAYL); British, gaol (JAYL) (noun)
1. A place for the confinement of people in lawful detention; especially, those who are awaiting trial under local jurisdiction: Jeremy was locked up in the county jail for driving while drunk.

Mildred was arrested for drunkenness and spent a night in the city jail.

2. A short-term detaining facility for those awaiting trial or for those convicted of minor offences: Aaron was kept in the city jail while he was being tried for murder and, if convicted, he would be sent to the state prison.
prison; penitentiary (PRIZ uhn; pen" i TEN shuh ree) (noun)
A long-term detention facility for those convicted of major, or more serious crimes: After spending six months in the city jail during his trial, Carlos was then sentenced to life in the state prison.

Trina was sentenced to forty years in a federal penitentiary for the crime that she committed.

In British English, there is no clear difference between jail and prison, and the word penitentiary is apparently not used in Great Britain.

The alleged criminal was held in the local jail which his British lawyer always referred to as the local gaol while his client was awaiting his trial.

When he was found guilty and sentenced, Adam was sent to the state penitentiary which his lawyer referred to as a prison.

This entry is located in the following unit: Confusing Words Clarified: Group J; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. + (page 1)
penitentiary (adjective) (not comparable)
1. Concerning the punishment of criminals: Sam was sentenced to prison and underwent many years of penitentiary labor.
2. Pertaining to penance; penitential: Susan was so sorry for being so rude to her father and wanted to make penitentiary amends for her bad behavior.
This entry is located in the following unit: poen-, peno-, poino-, poin-, puni-, pain-, penal-, pent- (page 2)
penitentiary (s) (noun), penitentiaries (pl)
1. A reformatory prison; a house of correction: A penitentiary is intended for the penal and reformatory treatment of criminals.

Trina was sentenced to forty years in a federal penitentiary for the crime that she committed.
2. 2. In the U.S., the place of punishment in which convicts sentenced to confinement and hard labor are confined by the authority of the law: There are a number of penitentiaries located in the United States including the United States Penitentiary in Pennsylvania, the United States Penitentiary in California, and the United States Penitentiary in Virginia.

This entry is located in the following units: -ary (page 9) poen-, peno-, poino-, poin-, puni-, pain-, penal-, pent- (page 2)