confessional
n. countablen. a small, private room or booth in a church where a person tells their sins to a priest. It is designed so the priest can listen without always seeing the person clearly.
n. a small enclosed stall or booth in a church where a priest hears the confessions of penitents. Often features a screen or lattice to provide anonymity for the speaker.
The man knelt inside the confessional to speak with the priest.
The old wooden confessional stood in the corner of the cathedral, its velvet curtain worn thin from years of use.
Architectural historians note that the design of the confessional evolved to balance the need for acoustic privacy with the liturgical requirement for a physical barrier between the clergy and the laity.
From confession + -al.
From French confessionnal.
Often used metaphorically as an adjective to describe a style of writing or speaking that reveals private secrets.