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.

penitentiary
1. Of or pertaining to penance; administering, or undergoing, penance.
2. Intended for or relating to the penal and reformatory treatment of criminals.
3. A reformatory prison; a house of correction.
4. 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.
This entry is located in the following units: -ary (page 9) poen-, peno-, poino-, poin-, puni-, pain-, penal-, pent- (page 2)