penitenza

penance, repentance

noun peh-nee-TEN-tsah Rare

Origin: From Latin paenitentia, from paenitere (to repent).

Also means

penalty (in games)

Usage Note

Penitenza has both a religious sense — the sacrament of penance or an act of atonement — and a lighter playful sense in children's games, where the loser must carry out a penitenza (a forfeit or dare). Context always makes the meaning clear. Do not confuse with punizione (punishment), which lacks the repentance nuance.

Examples

"Il vinaio consigliò un ottimo vino rosso."

Natural Translation

The wine merchant recommended an excellent red wine.

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