noun
confectionery
kuhn-FEK-shuh-nuh-ree
Confectionery (noun) means Sweets, chocolates and similar sugary foods, considered collectively. Example: “The shop sells newspapers, tobacco and confectionery.”
noun
1
Sweets, chocolates and similar sugary foods, considered collectively.
"The shop sells newspapers, tobacco and confectionery."
"Sugar taxes have pushed manufacturers to reformulate their confectionery."
2
The trade or craft of making sweets and chocolates.
"He trained in patisserie before moving into confectionery."
How to use confectionery
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSweets and chocolates, taken as a group.
When to use it
Neutral, with a commercial and trade flavour; ordinary speech prefers "sweets" or "candy".
Memory tip
Uncountable — say "some confectionery", never "a confectionery" for a single sweet.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sugar confectionery
chocolate confectionery
confectionery industry
a confectionery counter
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The shop sells newspapers, tobacco and _____.
Etymology
From confection, ultimately from Latin conficere "to prepare, put together", with the ending -ery denoting a trade or its products.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for confectionery
See all rhymes for confectionery →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between confectionery and confectionary?
Confectionery, with an e, is the standard spelling for sweets and for the trade that makes them. Confectionary is a rare adjective meaning "relating to confectionery", and is also an old word for a place where sweets are kept. If you mean the sweets, use confectionery.
What counts as confectionery?
The trade splits it in two: sugar confectionery covers boiled sweets, toffee, fudge, gums and jellies, while chocolate confectionery covers bars, pralines and filled chocolates. Cakes and biscuits are usually classed as bakery instead.
Is confectionery the same as candy?
Candy is the ordinary American word for the same products, and in British English confectionery is the formal or trade term for what shoppers simply call sweets. Confectionery is the word you will see on packaging, shop signage and industry reports.
What is the meaning of confectionery?
"confectionery" (noun) means sweets, chocolates and similar sugary foods, considered collectively.
