confetti
Americanplural noun
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(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.
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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.
Roars filled the air at the end of the parade route when the trophy was held aloft before confetti rained down on supporters.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
But some buyers of fuel are holding the confetti.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
Cajun chicken pasta is essentially Alfredo in a leather jacket: fettuccine or penne, blackened or “blackened” chicken, a confetti of peppers and scallions, and a liberal snowfall of Cajun seasoning.
From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026
After 90 minutes, it was the familiar sight of Chelsea lifting the cup, Blues fans celebrating in the stands and Lucy Bronze playing with gold confetti.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
I tear off the blindfold and watch the last bits of confetti pour out of the paper heart and fill the air with happiness.
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.
