noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/kənˈfɛsə/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈkɒnfɛsə/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈkɒnfɛsɔː/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/kənˈfɛsɚ/
rhymes with -ɛsə(ɹ)
1
noun
Meaning 1
One who confesses faith in Christianity in the face of persecution, but who is not martyred.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Long before Edward I, the English had a King Edward who they considered a martyr and a King Edward who they considered a confessor.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
One who confesses to having done something wrong.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Near-synonym: confessant
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: confessant
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A priest who hears confession and then gives absolution.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: father confessor
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Someone who acts as listener and helper.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a priest who hears confession and gives absolution
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: priest
6
noun
Meaning 6
someone who confesses (discloses information damaging to themselves)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: communicator
History
Etymology
From Middle English confessor, confessour, from Anglo-Norman confessour, and its source, Latin cōnfessor, from cōnfiteor (“confess, admit, acknowledge”). By surface analysis, confess + -or.
Across languages
Translations
52 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
自白者
— one who confesses
Chinese Mandarin:
懺悔者 /忏悔者
— one who confesses
Greek:
ομολογητής
(omologitís)
— one who confesses
Irish:
admhálaí
— one who confesses
Japanese:
告白者
— one who confesses
Japanese:
自白する人
— one who confesses
Old English:
andetta
— one who confesses
Persian:
خستو
(xostu)
— one who confesses
Russian:
испове́дник
(ispovédnik)
— one who confesses
Swedish:
bekännare
— one who confesses
Chinese Mandarin:
宣信者
(xuānxìnzhě)
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Czech:
vyznavač
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Danish:
bekender
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Dutch:
belijder
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Finnish:
tunnustaja
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
German:
Bekenner
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Greek:
ομολογητής
(omologitís)
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Hungarian:
hitvalló
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Irish:
dearbhóir
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Irish:
coinfeasóir
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Japanese:
表信者
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Polish:
wyznawca
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Portuguese:
confessor
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Russian:
испове́дник
(ispovédnik)
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Swedish:
bekännare
— one who confesses faith in Christianity
Belarusian:
спавяда́льнік
(spavjadálʹnik)
— priest who hears confession
Belarusian:
спаве́днік
(spavjédnik)
— priest who hears confession
Bulgarian:
изпове́дник
(izpovédnik)
— priest who hears confession
Czech:
zpovědník
— priest who hears confession
Danish:
skriftefader
— priest who hears confession
Dutch:
biechtvader
— priest who hears confession
Finnish:
rippi-isä
— priest who hears confession
French:
confesseur
— priest who hears confession
German:
Beichtvater
— priest who hears confession
German:
Beichtiger
— priest who hears confession
Greek:
πνευματικός
(pnevmatikós)
— priest who hears confession
Hungarian:
gyóntatópap
— priest who hears confession
Icelandic:
játari
— priest who hears confession
Irish:
athair faoistine
— priest who hears confession
Irish:
oide faoistine
— priest who hears confession
Italian:
confessore
— priest who hears confession
Macedonian:
исповедник
(ispovednik)
— priest who hears confession
Macedonian:
духовник
(duhovnik)
— priest who hears confession
Old English:
sċrift
— priest who hears confession
Polish:
spowiednik
— priest who hears confession
Portuguese:
confessor
— priest who hears confession
Russian:
испове́дник
(ispovédnik)
— priest who hears confession
Slovak:
spovedník
— priest who hears confession
Spanish:
confesante
— priest who hears confession
Swedish:
biktfader
— priest who hears confession
Ukrainian:
спові́дник
(spovídnyk)
— priest who hears confession
