confection
UK: kənˈfɛkʃən | US: kənˈfɛkʃən
n. a sweet preparation, such as candy or pastry
n. the act or process of preparing something with skill or artistry
n. (archaic) a medicinal preparation, often sweetened
Derived from Latin conficere (to prepare, put together), via Old French confection. The root con- (together) + facere (to make) reflects the idea of assembling ingredients. Originally used for medicinal preparations, the term later specialized in sweet foods due to the historical practice of masking bitter medicines with sugar. The suffix -ion nominalizes the action, giving "confection" its modern sense of a crafted sweet.
The bakery displayed an array of colorful confections for the holiday.
Medieval apothecaries often sold herbal confections to soothe ailments.
She mastered the confection of delicate French pastries.
The chef’s latest confection combined chocolate and exotic spices.
In Shakespeare’s time, "confection" could refer to both sweets and perfumed compounds.