pénitentiaire

penitentiary, relating to prisons

adjective peh-nee-tahn-SYEHR Rare

Usage Note

Pénitentiaire is exclusively used in legal and administrative language; one says établissement pénitentiaire (prison facility) or régime pénitentiaire (prison regime). The noun pénitencier means 'penitentiary' (the building). It does not change form between masculine and feminine: un centre pénitentiaire / une structure pénitentiaire.

Examples

"Il travaille dans un établissement pénitentiaire."

Natural Translation

He works in a penitentiary facility.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

French Greetings: Bonjour, Salut, Coucou Explained

Bonjour, salut, or coucou? Pick the right French greeting every time with a simple two-axis guide to formality and time of day, plus how to say goodbye.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Numbers 70, 80, 90 Made Simple

French numbers 70, 80, 90 are soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, and quatre-vingt-dix. Learn three build formulas to make any number 70-99 on the fly.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Tu vs Vous: When to Use Each in French

Tu vs vous in French: use tu for one friend, family, or child, and vous for strangers, elders, your boss, and any group. A clear etiquette guide.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Café Culture: How to Order Like a Local

In a French café, un café means espresso, one drink rents the table for an hour, and you must ask for the bill. Order coffee like a local with these phrases.

June 4, 2026 7 min read