Confetti

confetti refers to both sugarcoated almonds presented to wedding guests in dainty tulle bags and the tiny bits of colored paper tossed into the air as the happy couple departs. Both trace their name back to the Latin conficere, meaning to “confect, compose, make.” In England, as far back as the fourteenth century, the word “comfit” was used to describe nuts and seeds that were coated in sugar. See comfit. In French, the word is comfit or confit. Italians use confetto for the singular, confetti for the plural. Confection, confectionery, confectioner, comfit, and confetti—all are related.