An alternative spelling or variant of confessor; a person who hears confessions in a religious context.
From confess + -er (Old English agent suffix meaning 'one who does'). This variant spelling emerged alongside the more common 'confessor,' with -er being a productive suffix for creating agent nouns in English.
The spelling variation between 'confesser' and 'confessor' mirrors a broader pattern in English where we kept some Latin-influenced agent nouns (like 'actor') while Anglicizing others (like 'baker' instead of 'bakory'), reflecting the ongoing tension between Germanic and Romance elements in English.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.