¦ adjective feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong.
¦ noun a person who repents their sins.
?(in the Roman Catholic Church) a person who confesses their sins to a priest and submits to the penance that he imposes.
Derivatives
penitence noun
penitential adjective
penitently adverb
Origin
ME: from OFr., from L. paenitent-, paenitere 'repent'.