a. and sb. [f. CONFECTION + -ARY: with B. cf. med.L. confectiōnāri-us maker of confections, apothecary.]
A. adj. Of the nature of a confection, comfit, or sweetmeat; of or pertaining to confections or confectioners’ work.
1669. W. Simpson, Hydrol. Chym., 104. The Galenical Shop-Cordials, and their other Confectionary Medicaments.
1790. Cowper, On Receipt Mother’s Pict., 61. Thy morning bounties ere I left my home, The biscuit, or confectionary plum.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. (1863), 221. The … unnameable confectionary doings over which she presided.
1861. Sat. Rev., XLI. 489/2. The peculiarly vulgar stone reredos—ill copied, in a confectionary spirit.
B. sb.
† 1. A maker of confections; a confectioner. Obs.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xxii. 80. We make a few poesies to hould in our hands, but no man bringeth them to the confectionary that Receits mought be made of them for vse of life. [But this is taken by some as a place.]
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. viii. 13. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cookes, and to be bakers.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon., 233. He was a Cook, or Confectionary. Ibid., 298. The woman … was an excellent Confectionary, very cunning in poisons.
2. A place where confections are kept or prepared.
(But some take quot. 1607 in sense 1.)
[1607. Shaks., Timon, IV. iii. 260. My selfe, Who had the world as my Confectionarie.]
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 585. The Confectionarie or Closet of sweet meats.
1754. Richardson, Grandison (1812), II. 226 (D.). Here, ladies, are the keys of the stores, of the confectionary, of the wine-vaults.
1839. Mrs. Gore, in Tait’s Mag., VI. 650. The confectionary of the convent of Sancta Benedicta.
3. A confectionary preparation; a sweetmeat.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe (1871), 36. Aboue all junquetries or confectionaries whatsoeuer.
1714. Fr. Bk. of Rates, 102. Sugar … to be made use of in Confectionaries, Physick, and the like.
1844. Disraeli, Coningsby, I. iv. Ever and anon she … insisted upon his taking some particular confectionary, because it was a favourite of her own.
4. Improperly used for CONFECTIONERY, meaning the confectioner’s art.
1743. Lond. & Country Brew., II. (ed. 2), Adyt. Five Hundred new Receipts in Cookery, Confectionary, Pastry, Preserving, Conserving, and Pickling.
1774. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry (1840), III. xliv. 139. Immediately two hundred dishes of the most costly cookery and confectionary were served up.
1800. trans. Lagrange’s Chem., II. 180. The great uses of sugar … especially in confectionary.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 28. The delights, as they are esteemed, of Athenian confectionary.
