confabulate

[ kuhn-fab-yuh-leyt ]

verb (used without object)

, con·fab·u·lat·ed, con·fab·u·lat·ing.

1. to converse informally; chat.
2. Psychiatry. to replace a gap in one's memory by a falsification that one believes to be true; engage in confabulation.

confabulate

/ kənˈfæbjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to talk together; converse; chat
2. See paramnesia
   psychiatry to replace the gaps left by a disorder of the memory with imaginary remembered experiences consistently believed to be true See also paramnesia

Derived Forms

• conˈfabulatory, adjective
• conˌfabuˈlation, noun
• conˈfabuˌlator, noun

Other Words From

• con·fabu·lator noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of confabulate¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin confābulātus (past participle of confābulārī “to talk together, discuss”); con- ( def ), fable ( def ), -ate ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of confabulate¹

C17: from Latin confābulārī, from fābulārī to talk, from fābula a story; see fable

Example Sentences

She does not break the thread of a conversation by irrelevant questions or confabulate in an undertone with the servants.

From Project Gutenberg

Birds of a feather not only flock together, but, as every ornithologist knows full well, can confabulate.

From Project Gutenberg

Eden is not yet returned from Woodstock; I will confabulate with him.

From Project Gutenberg

In this manner, said my master, did the parson and I confabulate; and I set him down at his lodgings in the village.

From Project Gutenberg

An' whut dem six ghostes do but stand round an' confabulate?

From Project Gutenberg