[ad. med. or mod.L. confessiōnāri-us, f. confessiōn-: see -ARY.] Of or pertaining to confession.
1607. Schol. Disc. agst. Antechr., II. vi. 51. Conformitie doth require of vs a confessionarie approbation of the ceremonies by subscription.
1611. Cotgr., Confessionnaire, confessionarie; belonging to, or treating of, auricular confession.
1753. Bp. R. Clayton, in E. H. Palmer, Desert of Exodus, vi. (1871), 106. Confessionary priests used formerly to sit to hear the confessions of the pilgrims.
1864. I. Taylor, in Gd. Words, 230. A confessionary prayer.
