1. people who grant forgiveness or pardon for offenses
2. medieval church officials who sold indulgences and pardons for sins
Usage: historical

Examples

• The king appointed pardoners to review cases of political prisoners.
• Medieval pardoners traveled from town to town selling religious pardons.
• Chaucer wrote about a corrupt pardoner in his Canterbury Tales.
• The church reformers criticized the practices of pardoners.
• Some pardoners were known for their eloquent preaching.
• The pardoners carried official documents authorizing their work.