confection

noun

con·​fec·​tion kən-ˈfek-shən 

1

: the act or process of confecting

2

: something confected: such as

a

: a fancy dish or sweetmeat

also : a sweet food

b

: a medicinal preparation usually made with sugar, syrup, or honey

c

: a work of fine or elaborate craftsmanship

d

: a light but entertaining theatrical, cinematic, or literary work

Did you know?

As a wise blue monster with a famous sweet tooth once noted, “c” is for cookie. And sure, that’s good enough for us, but sometimes the moment calls for a wide variety of delectables, not just cookies. In such times, you might remember that “c” is also for confection. Confection is a word that refers to something confected—that is, put together—from several different ingredients or elements. Often confections are sweet and edible, but confection can also be used to refer to a finely worked piece of craftsmanship. In other words, the lacy box containing chocolate confections can be a confection itself. Tracing back to the Latin verb conficere (“to carry out, perform, make, bring about, collect, bring to completion”), confection entered Middle English as the word confeccioun, meaning “preparation by mixing ingredients; something prepared by mixing, such as a medicine or dish of food,” and has since taken on additional, often figurative meanings in English in the ensuing centuries, as in “the beloved musical confection ‘C is for Cookie.’”

Synonyms

• sweet
• sweetmeat

Examples of confection in a Sentence

an assortment of delicious cakes and other confections

following the main course there were assorted confections so delicious-looking as to tempt even determined dieters

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the confection’s most special touches is a string of pearls tangled around the magazine’s logo. —Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024

In honor of the film's 10th birthday, consider the confection. —Jamie Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024

Get The Recipe 36 of 42 Dirt Pudding If you've been charged with bringing dessert for the kids, this whimsical instant pudding and Oreo confection is sure to delight them. —Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2024

But by the 1990s, Ikea had partnered with a number of top designers, including the Danish master Verner Panton, who created this gravity-defying confection. —Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024

Every weekend, there is a new custom confection—always black, always Old Hollywood-esque—from the likes of Armani, Schiaparelli, Dior, David Koma, Robert Wun, and Louis Vuitton. —Alice Newbold, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2024

Every weekend there is a new custom confection—always black, always Old Hollywood–esque—from the likes of Armani, Schiaparelli, Dior, David Koma, Robert Wun, and Louis Vuitton. —Alice Newbold, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2024

Get The Recipe 06 of 32 The Coconut Chiffon Cake Grandma only brought out this towering confection for special occasions, like holidays and baptisms. —Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024

Swift has long been vocal about her love for baking, and was known in the past for sharing her confections with fans at Secret Sessions. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English confeccioun "preparation by mixing ingredients, something prepared by mixing, as a medicine or dish of food," borrowed from Anglo-French confectiun, confeccion, borrowed from Medieval Latin confectiōn-, confectiō, going back to Latin, "making ready for use, preparation," from conficere "to carry out, perform, make, bring about, collect, bring to completion" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at confect

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

confection

noun

con·​fec·​tion kən-ˈfek-shən 

: a fancy dish or sweet

Etymology

Middle English confectioun "mixture, candy," from early French confection "mixture," derived from Latin conficere "to prepare," from con-, com- "together" and -ficere, from facere "to make, do" — related to fashion

Medical Definition

confection

noun

con·​fec·​tion kən-ˈfek-shən 

: a medicinal preparation usually made with sugar, syrup, or honey

called also electuary