confess

/kənˈfes/kuhn-FES

/kənˈfɛs/kuhn-FES

Meaningto own up fully

Common meaning: to admit a fault

conwith, together; thoroughly
fessto own up, admitLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 728 · scan

‘with, together’ + ‘to own up, admit’ → confess

Journey through time

Latinfateor, fassus‘to own up, admit’
Old Frenchconfessersource
Middle Englishconfessensource
Englishconfess‘to admit a fault’ · today

con- also in: convex convey concave conceal concede

fess also in: profess professor

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin fateor ‘to own up, admit’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry fateor, p. 728 · dictionary scan

Roots

fateor, fassus Latin “to own up, admit”

Related words

profess professor

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