Dictionary
Pen•i•ten•te
Pronunciation: (pen"i-ten'tā, -tē), [key]—
n.
a member of a religious order, chiefly in Spanish-American communities in New Mexico, known for their practice of self-flagellation, esp. during Holy Week.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.