Word of the Day - 01/13/26
confection
/kən'fɛkʃən/(n.): the act of creating something (a medicine or drink or soup etc.) by compounding or mixing a variety of components
The ancient apothecary was renowned for his skillful confection of potent elixirs.
(v.): to mix or compound
To preserve the seasonal fruits, the chef decided to confection them into a rich compote.
(n.): a food rich in sugar
The display case was filled with an array of colorful confections, from macarons to truffles.
Word Origin
The word 'confection' originates from the Latin word 'confectio', meaning 'a preparing' or 'a making'. This, in turn, comes from the verb 'conficere', which means 'to prepare', 'to bring about', or 'to accomplish'. The word can be broken down into 'con-' (meaning 'together' or 'with') and 'facere' (meaning 'to make' or 'to do'). Initially, it referred to any prepared substance, such as medicines or spices, but over time, its meaning narrowed to specifically denote sweet preparations.
Many English words share a similar origin, stemming from the Latin verb 'facere' (as has already been seen many times in this nascent email list). 'Confetti' also shares a very close root, coming from Italian 'confetti' (small sweets), ultimately from Latin 'confectum', the past participle of 'conficere'.