[a. F. confessioniste, and 16th-c. L. confessionista.]
1. An adherent of a particular religious confession, spec. of the Augsburg Confession, a Lutheran.
c. 1568. in Fulke, Two Treat. (1577), I. 61. I aske of them whether the Lutherans, Zuinglians, Illirians, Caluenistes, Confessionistes, Swenkefeldians, Anabaptistes and such like, be all of one Church?
1625. Bp. Mountagu, App. Cæsar, Ded. 1. I was not long since forced upon the Controversies of these times, betweene the Protestant and Romish Confessionists.
1832. S. R. Maitland, Facts & Documents, 124. The reformers were taunted with the name of Confessionists.
1849. W. Fitzgerald, trans. Whitaker’s Disput., 380. There is the utmost unanimity amongst the Confessionists (as they call them) in all things necessary, that is, in the articles of faith.
2. = CONFESSIONALIST 1.
1858. Sat. Rev., V. 269/1. The thorough confessionist always overstates his guilt.
