Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who confesses: Someone who discloses or admits to something, typically information that is damaging or unfavorable to themselves.
   • A priest who hears confessions: In the Christian tradition, especially Roman Catholicism, a priest who has the authority to hear a person's confession of sins and grant absolution.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Person who confesses):
  • The police recorded the statement of the confessor.
  • He was a reluctant confessor to his role in the mistake.
• Noun (Priest):
  • She spoke to her confessor about her feelings of guilt.
  • The parish priest acted as a confessor for many in the community.

Advanced Usage

• "Confessor to the king": Historically, a priest who served as a personal spiritual advisor and confessor to a monarch.
  • The cardinal was the confessor to the king for over a decade.
• Used in a historical or hagiographical context to refer to a saint who suffered for their faith but was not martyred.
  • Saint Maximus is venerated as a Confessor of the Faith.

Variants and Related Words

• Confess (verb): To admit or acknowledge something, especially a fault or crime.
  • He decided to confess his mistake.
• Confession (noun): The act of confessing; or the sacrament in which sins are confessed to a priest.
  • She went to confession every week.
• Confessional (noun/adjective): Relating to confession; or the small booth where confessions are heard.
  • The confessional seal is absolute.

Synonyms

• Penitent (specifically for the one confessing sins).
• Priest, clergyman, spiritual director (for the priestly role).

Related Phrases

• Seal of the confessional: The obligation of a priest not to disclose anything heard during a confession.
  • The priest upheld the seal of the confessional.

Noun

1. someone who confesses (discloses information damaging to themselves)
2. a priest who hears confession and gives absolution