confetti
Americanplural noun
singular
confetto-
(used with a singular verb) small bits of paper, usually colored, thrown or dropped from a height to enhance the gaiety of a festive event, as a parade, wedding, or New Year's Eve party.
-
confections; bonbons.
noun
Etymology
Origin of confetti
1805–15; < Italian, plural of confetto comfit
Explanation
Confetti is the small bits of paper that you festively throw at a celebration. People at New Year's parties often mark the stroke of midnight by tossing confetti into the air. It's traditional to throw rice at the newly married couple after a wedding ceremony, but sometimes guests throw confetti instead. Other places you might see (or throw) confetti are parades, game shows, sporting events, and parties. Confetti is usually made of paper, though sometimes it's plastic or shiny mylar. Confetti is the plural form of the Italian confetto, "sweetmeat," and the tradition began with small candies thrown during Italian parades and celebrations.
Vocabulary lists containing confetti
2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It makes customizable Bundt cakes in a range of sizes and flavors including red velvet, confetti and banana pudding cake.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
They then set off on their journey to cheers and clapping, through a balloon arch with confetti cannons.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
It was unclear whether Gosling also ordered up the marching band that played backup, but Fallon wound up crediting him for the whole deal, which we assume included the, um, confetti cannon.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
On a recent winter night, frost sparkled in the air like cold confetti and a warm glow spilled from the small windows of a tavern in the one-stoplight village of Sergeantsville, N.J.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
“Girl, look at yourself in the mirror. You’ve got enough confetti to last you a year.”
From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
