From Middle English confessen, from Anglo-Norman confesser, from Old French confesser, from Latin confessus (Old French confés), past participle of cōnfiteor ("I confess, I admit") from con- + fateor ("I admit").

• IPA: /kənˈfɛs/

confess (confesses, present participle confessing; simple past and past participle confessed)

1. (intransitive, transitive) To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed.

   I confess to spray-painting all over that mural!

   I confess that I am a sinner.

   • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene ii]:

     I never gave it him. Send for him hither, / And let him confess a truth.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:

     And there confess / Humbly our faults, and pardon beg.

   • 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC ↗:

     I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned.

2. (transitive) To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Matthew 10:32 ↗:

     Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess, also, before my Father which is in heaven.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Acts 23:8 ↗:

     For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.

3. (religion) To unburden (oneself) of sins to God or a priest, in order to receive absolution.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, 1 John 1:9 ↗:

     If we confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull, & iust to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse.

   • 1710 September 18 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, September 7, 1710”, in The Spectator, number 1647; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC ↗:

     Our beautiful votary took an opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father.

     The spelling has been modernized.

4. (religion) To hear or receive such a confession of sins from.
   • 1523–1525, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (translator), Froissart's Chronicles

     He […] heard mass, and the prince, his son, with him, and the most part of his company were confessed.

5. (transitive) To disclose or reveal.
   • 1725, Homer, “Book VII”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume II, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC ↗:

     Tall thriving trees confess;d the fruitful mould.

• confession
• confessional
• confessor

• French: avouer, confesser
• German: gestehen, bekennen, verraten
• Italian: confessare
• Portuguese: confessar
• Russian: созна́ться
• Spanish: confesar

• German: beichten
• Russian: испове́доваться

• French: confesser

• Portuguese: confessar
• Russian: созна́ться