confessor

[kuh n-fes-er]

confessor Definition

  • 1a person who hears confessions and gives absolution and spiritual counsel
  • 2a person who confesses his or her sins to a priest or minister and receives absolution

Using confessor: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "confessor" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The confessor listened patiently as the penitent recounted his sins.

  • Example

    She went to the confessor to confess her sins and seek forgiveness.

  • Example

    The confessor gave him absolution after he confessed his sins.

confessor Synonyms and Antonyms

Phrases with confessor

  • to confess one's sins or wrongdoings to someone

    Example

    He made a clean breast of it to his confessor and felt much better afterwards.

  • the obligation of a priest not to disclose anything said to him in confession

    Example

    The priest could not reveal what he had heard in confession because of the seal of the confessional.

  • a person who has suffered for his or her religious beliefs and is venerated as a saint by the Christian Church

    Example

    St. Thomas More is known as the confessor of the faith for his steadfast defense of Catholicism against the English Reformation.

Origins of confessor

from Latin 'confessor', meaning 'one who confesses'

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Summary: confessor in Brief

A 'confessor' [kuh n-fes-er] is a person who hears confessions, gives absolution, and provides spiritual counsel. It can also refer to a person who confesses their sins to a priest or minister and receives absolution. The term is often used in phrases like 'make a clean breast of it to one's confessor' and 'the seal of the confessional.' 'Confessor of the faith' refers to a person who has suffered for their religious beliefs and is venerated as a saint by the Christian Church.