What does confetti mean?
Confetti refers to the small pieces of brightly coloured paper that are scattered or hurled into the air to mark moments of celebration — weddings, parades, graduations, and victories of every kind. In modern English it functions as an uncountable noun, so we speak of throwing confetti rather than counting individual pieces. The word carries an unmistakably festive connotation: wherever confetti appears, joy and spectacle are assumed to follow. Its origins are surprisingly edible. It comes from the Italian word 'confetti', the plural of 'confetto', which denotes the sugared almonds traditionally tossed at Italian wedding guests. The name traces back further to Latin 'conficere', meaning 'to make up' or 'to prepare', the same root that gives us confection and comfit. When paper replaced sweets in the late nineteenth century, the old name stuck, so that today's flurries of fluttering paper still bear the name of the candied treats that came before them.
nounSmall pieces of brightly coloured paper thrown or scattered during celebrations such as weddings and parades.
- Small pieces of coloured paper scattered or thrown at celebrations.
- In Italian cookery, sugared almonds given at weddings and other festivities.
"The crowd showered the winning team in a flurry of confetti as they lifted the trophy."
"Bells rang and confetti rained down on the newlyweds as they stepped out of the church."
"The parade route was carpeted ankle-deep in ticker-tape and confetti."
Although historically an Italian plural, confetti is now treated as an uncountable singular noun in English and does not take an -s.
"A few pieces of confetti drifted down onto the stage after the speech."
Before it was paper, confetti was sugar: the word comes from Italian 'confetti', meaning sugared almonds thrown at Italian weddings.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of confetti
Confetti entered English from Italian, where 'confetti' is the plural of 'confetto', meaning a small sugared almond traditionally thrown at celebrations. The Italian word derives from Latin 'confectum', past participle of 'conficere' ('to make up, prepare'), the same root that produced English words like confection and comfit. In the late nineteenth century, paper discs replaced the original sweets at festivities, and the older name transferred to them.
How confetti is actually used
Confetti is grammatically a plural noun in origin but is now used as an uncountable mass noun in English ('some confetti fell'). It carries strongly festive, joyful connotations and appears almost exclusively in celebratory contexts.
Easily confused with confetti
Confiture is a sweet fruit preserve or jam, while confetti is small coloured paper scattered at celebrations.