confessor
/kənˈfɛsə/
Etymology
From Middle English confessor, confessour, from Anglo-Norman confessour, and its source, Latin cōnfessor, from cōnfiteor (“confess, admit, acknowledge”). By surface analysis, confess + -or.
confessor means one who confesses faith in Christianity in the face of persecution, but who is not martyred. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 81 out of 100.
confessor is pronounced /kənˈfɛsə/.
Why “confessor” is a great word
CONFESSOR — [Noun] A person, especially a priest, who hears sacramental confession and grants absolution, or one who steadfastly professes faith under persecution without being martyred. From Middle English confessor, from Anglo-Norman confessour, from Latin cōnfessor, from cōnfiteor ("confess, admit, acknowledge"). Unlike a penitent, who pours out transgression, or a martyr, whose testament is sealed in blood, a confessor is the listener who absolves and the witness who endures. It is the shadowed figure in the quiet booth, the scarred survivor of the prison cell, the keeper of secrets that are both a burden and a trust—a testament that the weight of truth can be a form of courage all its own.
noun
- One who confesses faith in Christianity in the face of persecution, but who is not martyred.“Long before Edward I, the English had a King Edward who they considered a martyr and a King Edward who they considered a confessor.”
- One who confesses to having done something wrong.“Near-synonym: confessant”
- A priest who hears confession and then gives absolution.
- Someone who acts as listener and helper.“They do not feel connected to any gay/lesbian communities. Nor do they feel able to establish relationships with anyone who can support them. Thus an inexperienced but sincere young heterosexual actor can find himself playing not only role model but also confessor and phantom friend to people in great need.”