Main Entry: con·fess

Pronunciation: \kən-ˈfes\

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French confesser, from confés having confessed, from Latin confessus, past participle of confitēri to confess, from com- + fatēri to confess; akin to Latin fari to speak — more at ban

Date: 14th century

transitive verb 1 : to tell or make known (as something wrong or damaging to oneself) : admit <he confessed his guilt>
2 a : to acknowledge (sin) to God or to a priest b : to receive the confession of (a penitent)
3 : to declare faith in or adherence to : profess
4 : to give evidence ofintransitive verb 1 a : to disclose one's faults; specifically : to unburden one's sins or the state of one's conscience to God or to a priest b : to hear a confession
2 : admit, own <confess to a crime>

synonyms see acknowledge

— con·fess·able \-ˈfe-sə-bəl\ adjective