confessant

English

Etymology

From French confessant, equivalent to confess +‎ -ant.

Noun

confessant (plural confessants)

1. (obsolete) One who confesses to a priest.

   Synonym: penitent

   Coordinate term: confessor

   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “[Apophthegm 213]”, in Apophthegmes New and Old. […], London: […] Hanna Barret, and Richard Whittaker, […], →OCLC, page 234:

     [T]he poſture of the Confeſſant and the Prieſt in Confeſsion: which is, that the Confeſſant kneeles downe before the Prieſt ſitting in a raiſed chaire aboue him.

   • 2019 July 18, Jacob Wallace, “In 44 States, Clergy Don't Have to Tell Police When Someone Confesses to Child Sex Abuse”, in Newsweek‎^[1]:

     In 2013, though, the New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled that clergy were required to report abuse because confessants "cannot have an objectively reasonable expectation that such a statement will remain confidential."

Further reading

• “confessant”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Catalan

Verb

confessant

1. gerund of confessar

French

Participle

confessant

1. present participle of confesser

Anagrams

• fonçassent