Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun plural Small pieces or streamers of colored paper that are scattered around during the course of festive occasions.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun plural archaic Bonbons; sweetmeats; confections.
  • noun plural small bits or streamers of brightly colored paper, thrown in celebration by carnival revelers, at weddings, etc.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Small pieces of colored paper generally thrown about at festive occasions, especially at weddings

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun small pieces or streamers of colored paper that are thrown around on festive occasions (as at a wedding)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Italian, pl. of confetto, candy (from the Italian custom of throwing candy on festive occasions ), from Medieval Latin cōnfectum, from neuter of Latin cōnfectus, past participle of cōnficere, to prepare; see comfit.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Italian confetto meaning "confection"

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Examples

  • I've made it from scratch, made it from the Jiffy box, made it like Marie Calendar's by mixing yellow cake mix and cornbread mix (serve with honey butter!), and recently made some "Confetti Corn Muffins" (the confetti is the red bell peppers and green jalapenos), and I have to say, corn bread is great in every form!

    Let the Cornbread Wars Begin! ____Maggie 2008

  • The campaign for the democratic nominee will not end until the cleanup crew arrives to sweep away the confetti from the convention floor on it's last night.

    Pelosi prepared to 'step in' to end race 2008

  • That's just leftover confetti from the inauguration party last night.

    Boing Boing: November 2, 2003 - November 8, 2003 Archives 2003

  • When asked about the last time they had fun at work, people told Kaye about spontaneous after-work trips for pizza and decorating the boss 'office with five bags of confetti from the shredding machine.

    USATODAY.com - Win the battle by recruiting the best candidates 2002

  • The Lakers, giddy and showered in confetti, soaked in the idolatry.

    USATODAY.com - Lakers seek parade of titles 2001

  • We also carry supplemental party items but Confetti is our main focus. www. chicoparty.com Since the word confetti is not in our domain name should I build another site on partyconfetti or leave it with the redirect?

    WebProWorld Discussion Forum - Full Feed 2008

  • Then Gaffington pulled from his pocket a handful of finely chopped paper of various colors -- "confetti" -- and scattered it in a shower over everyone and everything.

    Andy at Yale Or, The Great Quadrangle Mystery Roy Eliot Stokes

  • In the intervals between them endless open carriages moved along, lined with white, filled with white dominos, drawn by horses all protected and covered with white cotton robes, against the whiter 'confetti' -- everyone fighting mock battles with everyone else, till it seemed impossible that anything could be left to throw, and the long perspective of the narrow street grew dim between the high palaces, and misty and purple in the evening light.

    Ave Roma Immortalis, Vol. 1 Studies from the Chronicles of Rome 1881

  • :: types in confetti and streamers and ice cream cake and go-go dancers::

    Scribblenauts comes out today! pabba 2009

  • Eduardo Kaplan Stop by one of the many shops in Sulmona that sell the local specialty called confetti, candied almonds that come in a variety of colors.

    Visiting Italy 2010

Comments

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  • In Italy, confetti are sugar-coated almonds offered to guests at weddings and other rite-of-passage events. Usually bright red, they are considered to bring good luck.

    Note: please do not throw them at the bride and groom.

    March 29, 2009

  • Ha!!

    Just one more thing: red for graduation, white for weddings, and so on.

    March 29, 2009

  • I stand corrected.

    March 29, 2009