confessor

or con·fess·er

[ kuhn-fes-er ]

noun

1. a person who confesses.
2. a priest authorized to hear confessions.
3. a person who confesses faith in and adheres to the Christian religion, especially in spite of persecution and torture but without suffering martyrdom.
4. the Confessor. Edward the Confessor.

confessor

/ kənˈfɛsə /

noun

1. Christianity RC Church a priest who hears confessions and sometimes acts as a spiritual counsellor
2. history a person who bears witness to his Christian religious faith by the holiness of his life, esp in resisting threats or danger, but does not suffer martyrdom
3. a person who makes a confession

Word History and Origins

Origin of confessor¹

before 1000; Middle English, Old English (in pl: confessores ) < Late Latin; confess, -tor

Example Sentences

And in the second act, he has a crucial existential colloquy with Marianne, Rachel Bay Jones’ wealthy airhead, who reveals a surprising amount of depth in a philosophical back and forth with her uncertain confessor.

From Los Angeles Times

He also coaxes his father’s former bodyguard/confessor Colin to come work for him.

From New York Times

Times television critic Mary McNamara said Walters was part confessor, part therapist and succeeded brilliantly at making “emotion newsworthy.”

From Los Angeles Times

He becomes the lord confessor, a nicer name for the royal torturer.

From New York Times

Other suspects included a former Boeing employee, a former Northwest Orient Airlines employee and several deathbed confessors.

From Salon