confected; confecting; confects

transitive verb

1
: to put together from varied material
2
a
b

Examples of confect in a Sentence

a cook who can confect a magnificent dinner from whatever ingredients are in the cupboards
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Friday’s deadline for bids was an artificial one, confected by United’s bankers to create urgency. Tariq Panja, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023 In Brussels, Wiley was searching for models to confect into the image of royalty for a site-specific show proposed by the city’s Oldmasters Museum. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English confecten "to prepare by combining ingredients, blend, spice or sweeten," borrowed from Medieval Latin confectus, past participle of conficere "to bring together, compose, compound (a drug or medication)," going back to Latin, "to carry out, perform, make, bring about, collect, bring to completion," from con- con- + facere "to make, bring about, perform, do" — more at fact

Note: The meanings of Medieval Latin conficere depend to a degree on its vernacular equivalent in Gallo-Romance; see note at comfit.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of confect was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near confect

Cite this Entry

“Confect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confect. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

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