confess
UK[kənˈfɛs]US[kənˈfɛs]
v
To admit that you have done something wrong or illegal.
v
To tell your sins to a priest in the Christian religion, especially in the Roman Catholic Church.
v
To admit something that you feel embarrassed about.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
fess
con
together, with
fess
to speak, declare
Etymology
The word "confess" originates from the Latin verb confiteri, meaning "to acknowledge, admit." This Latin term is a compound of the intensive prefix con- ("with, thoroughly") and the verb fateri ("to speak, declare"). The literal sense is thus "to speak thoroughly" or "to declare openly." Over time, this meaning specialized to focus on the act of openly admitting or declaring one's faults, sins, or guilt. It entered English via Old French confesser in the early medieval period, retaining its core sense of formal admission, particularly within legal and religious contexts.
Analysis
Structure: con (together, with) + fess (to speak, declare)
- con: A prefix from Latin, meaning "together, with, thoroughly." It functions as an intensifier in this word.
- fess: A root from Latin fateri (to acknowledge, confess), specifically its past participle stem fess-, meaning "to speak, declare."
Examples
He finally confessed to stealing the money.
She goes to church to confess her sins regularly.
I must confess, I have never read that famous novel.