confection

American  

[kuhn-fek-shuhn] / kənˈfɛk ʃən /

noun

1. a sweet preparation of fruit or the like, as a preserve or candy.

2. the process of compounding, preparing, or making something.

3. a frivolous, amusing, or contrived play, book, or other artistic or literary work.

4. something made up or confected; a concoction.

   He said the charges were a confection of the local police.

5. something, as a garment or decorative object, that is very delicate, elaborate, or luxurious and usually nonutilitarian.

6. Pharmacology. a medicated preparation made with the aid of sugar, honey, syrup, or the like.

---

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to prepare as a confection.

confection British  

/ kənˈfɛkʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of compounding or mixing

2. any sweet preparation of fruit, nuts, etc, such as a preserve or a sweet

3. old-fashioned an elaborate article of clothing, esp for women

4. informal anything regarded as overelaborate or frivolous

   the play was merely an ingenious confection

5. a medicinal drug sweetened with sugar, honey, etc

---

Etymology

Origin of confection

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English confeccioun, from Latin confectiōn- (stem of confectiō ) “preparation, conclusion, completion”; confect, -ion

Example Sentences

As an executive at Hershey, it’s Rinaldi’s duty to know important dates years in advance to understand how it could affect the company’s ability to sell chocolates, sweets and sugary confections.

From The Wall Street Journal

For example, Mr. Mansfield dismisses the idea of a Judeo-Christian tradition as a Hegelian confection.

From The Wall Street Journal

It feels like a tasty confection with nutritional value.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a bright and shiny synthpop confection with a steady 4/4 house beat.

From The Wall Street Journal

This deeply researched study examines how AI systems create “abstract people”: statistical confections, subject profiles and anthropomorphic personages that increasingly substitute for humans in digital environments.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cake
• candy
• pastry