confect

verb

con·​fect kən-ˈfekt 

confected; confecting; confects

transitive verb

1

: to put together from varied material

2

a

: prepare

b

: preserve

confect

ˈkän-ˌfekt 

noun

Synonyms

• assemble
• build
• construct
• erect
• fabricate
• make
• make up
• piece
• put up
• raise
• rear
• set up

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

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

And of course, the Kardashian family has created a multibillion-dollar empire out of cunning, chutzpah, a complete lack of inhibition and a willingness to confect drama for ratings. —refinery29.com, 18 May 2022

Shooting on film, the imaginative directors confect a realm of tactile magic, with Kafkaesque flourishes, through the ingenious handcraftsmanship of practical elements and low-fi effects. —Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2022

The name Häagen-Dazs was confected to suggest European sophistication (the firm is American). —The Economist, 5 July 2019

But the outrage of rivals is shamelessly confected. —The Economist, 7 Apr. 2018

In a swirl of nimble, pale brushwork, the artist conjures up a figure from behind, gazing in the mirror, confecting herself. —Cate McQuaid, BostonGlobe.com, 14 June 2018

The other, infinitely more famous outcome was Mary’s tale of a scientist who confects a humanoid out of body parts. —The Economist, 17 Feb. 2018

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