1. The act or process of confessing.
2. Something confessed, especially disclosure of one's sins to a priest for absolution.
3. A written or oral statement acknowledging guilt, made by one who has been accused or charged with an offense.
4. An avowal of belief in the doctrines of a particular faith; a creed.
5. A church or group of worshipers adhering to a specific creed.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.