ETYM French repentance.
Remorse for one's past conduct; SYN. penitence, penance.
In religion, to turn back to God in remorse at one’s past actions. In the Hebrew Bible it is sometimes used of God who “repents of the evil” proposed. The call for repentance of humanity is a call to return to a relationship of dependence on God as his creatures, and is found in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam along with a God who is merciful and forgiving. The New Testament stresses the idea of turning around and conversion.