Confabulate: meaning, definitions and examples
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confabulate
[ kənˈfæbjʊleɪt ]
psychological context
To confabulate means to engage in a conversation or discussion, often in a casual or informal manner. In psychology, it refers to a memory error where a person creates false memories without the intention to deceive. This might happen due to certain neurological conditions, leading individuals to fill in gaps in their memory with fabricated details that they sincerely believe to be true. Overall, confabulation reflects the complex nature of memory and cognition.
Synonyms
chat, converse, discuss, fabricate
Examples of usage
- During the therapy session, he tended to confabulate about his childhood.
- The patient began to confabulate stories that were inconsistent with reality.
- She's been known to confabulate when discussing her past experiences.
Etymology
The word 'confabulate' originates from the Latin term 'confabulare,' which means 'to talk together.' Its earliest usages can be traced back to the 17th century. Initially, 'confabulate' was used in a more general conversational context, but by the 19th century, it began to acquire a psychological meaning, particularly in relation to memory disturbances. This shift in meaning highlights the interplay between social interaction and cognitive processes, as confabulation can arise from neuropsychological conditions where the brain attempts to fill in gaps caused by memory lapses. The evolution of the term illustrates how language can adapt to new scientific understandings, especially in fields like psychology and neurology.
Word Frequency Rank
At position #41,668, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.