Word of the Day

: January 10, 2009

confabulation

noun kun-fab-yuh-LAY-shun

What It Means

1 : familiar talk or conversation

2 : a filling in of gaps in memory by fabrication

confabulation in Context

Grandma’s stories of when she was a child were always amusing, especially when she added a hint of confabulation or exaggeration to them.

Did You Know?

"Confabulation" is a fabulous word for fantastic fabrication. Given the similarities in spelling and sound, you might guess that "confabulation" and "fabulous" come from the same root, and they do -- the Latin "fabula," which means "conversation" or "story." Another "fabula" descendant that continues to tell tales in English is "fable." "Fabrication," however, comes from a different Latin source: the word "fabrica," meaning "workshop" or "structure."