confab
UK[ˈkɒnfæb]US[ˈkɑːnfæb]
n
an informal, private conversation or discussion
v
to engage in an informal, private conversation
Morpheme Breakdown
con
fab
con
together
fab
speak
Etymology
The word 'confab' is a clipped form of 'confabulation', which itself originates from the Latin verb 'confābulārī', meaning 'to converse together'. This Latin term is a composite of the prefix 'con-' (together) and the verb 'fābulārī' (to talk), derived from 'fābula' (story, tale). The journey from the literal Latin sense of "talking stories together" to the modern English meaning of an informal chat illustrates a process of semantic narrowing and informalization. It entered English in the 17th century, initially as a noun for a formal conference, but over time shed its formal connotations to signify a casual, friendly talk.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + fab (speak)
- con: from Latin 'cum', meaning 'together, with'. A prefix indicating association or joint action.
- fab: from Latin 'fābulārī', meaning 'to talk, chat'. A root element denoting speech or conversation.
Examples
They had a quick confab in the hallway before the meeting.
The managers will confab about the new strategy over lunch.
We need to have a little confab about the plans for the weekend.