4 syllables: con, fes, sion, al. Stress on fes.
kuhn-FESH-uh-nuhl
/kəˈnfɛʃənəl/
confessional is pronounced kuhn-FESH-uh-nuhl (/kəˈnfɛʃənəl/). It has four syllables (con-fes-sion-al), with the stress on "fes". Confessional is an adjective describing something related to confession or a person who confesses; it can also refer to a style or genre emphasizing personal admissions. It denotes openness about beliefs, sins, or feelings, often in religious or autobiographical contexts. In broader use, it may describe a narrative approach that reveals intimate, private thoughts or experiences.
Confessional is an adjective describing something related to confession or a person who confesses; it can also refer to a style or genre emphasizing personal admissions. It denotes openness about beliefs, sins, or feelings, often in religious or autobiographical contexts. In broader use, it may describe a narrative approach that reveals intimate, private thoughts or experiences.
"- The memoir had a confessional tone, revealing intimate details about the author’s past."
"- A confessional essay explores the writer’s personal beliefs and experiences with candor."
"- The priest’s confessional booth is a place for private confession and reflection."
Pronounced kən-FEH-shuh-nuhl, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: /kənˈfɛʃənəl/. Break it as con-FES-sion-al; the “fes” has a short e like “pet,” and the final -al is a light schwa-əl in many accents. Think of “confidence” with a similar fe- sound but ending -cial. Listen for the clear vowel in FESh (fesh) and a soft, unstressed -al.
Two frequent errors: misplacing the stress or over-emphasizing the last syllable. Focus on the FESh- syllable: /ˈfɛʃ/ rather than /ˈfɪti/ or /ˈfɛm/. Another mistake is pronouncing the final -al as a strong, full syllable; it’s typically a reduced schwa or light -əl. Practice by saying con-FES-sion-al with a crisp, mid-front vowel in /fɛ/ and a quick, soft -əl at the end.
US: rhotic and slightly tighter /ɹ/ between /n/ and /f/; stress on FESh. UK: similar stress, but vowel in FESh may be more centralized, and the final /əl/ can be a fuller schwa. AU: often non-rhotic or subtly rhotic with vowel coloration; the /ɪ/ in second syllable can sound shorter, and the final -al may be weaker. Core is KEEP the FESh syllable prominent across accents.
Because of the cluster /fɛʃ/ in the stressed syllable and the trailing /ənəl/ with a weak final /l/. The mid-front vowel in /fɛ/ can be tricky if your native language uses a different vowel height, and the final -al reduces to a light schwa or syllabic l, which can blur in rapid speech. Precision in the /ʃ/ (sh) sound and the transition into the /ənəl/ is key.
Yes. The root confess- contributes the FESh- portion; the -ional suffix brings the -ɪənəl or -iənəl feel depending on accent. Stress remains on the syllable containing FESh, so con-FES-sion-al. The /ʃ/ stays constant, and the suffix's vowel is typically a schwa, but some speakers lengthen slightly before -al. Focus on maintaining a clear FESh with a light, quick -ənəl ending for natural rhythm.
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Confessional comes from Medieval Latin confessionalis, from Late Latin confessio “a confession, acknowledgment,” from Latin confiteri “to confess” (composed of con- “with” + fateri “to admit, acknowledge”). The English form appears in the 16th century, initially tied to religious contexts (a confession of sins, sacraments). Over time, the sense broadened to non-religious admissions or admissions of personal belief or experience, especially in literature and psychology. The suffix -al turns the verb confess into an adjective meaning “relating to confession.” By the 19th and 20th centuries, “confessional” also described a literary mode that centers on personal, candid declarations, especially in essays, prose, and music. First known uses include religious confessional manuals and liturgical contexts; later use expanded to secular autobiography and art. The word thus traversed from doctrinal confession to intimate, autobiographical disclosure across genres and media.
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Words that rhyme with "confessional"
-nal sounds
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