[kuh
n-fesh-uh-nl] 
| 1. | of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or based on confession: confessional release. |
| 2. | the place set apart for the hearing of confessions by a priest. |
| 3. | French Furniture. a high, upholstered wing chair of the 18th century. |
| con·fes·sion·al (kən-fěsh'ə-nəl) adj. Of, relating to, or resembling confession. n. A small enclosed stall in which a priest hears confessions. |
confessional
in Roman Catholic churches, box cabinet or stall in which the priest sits to hear the confessions of penitents. The confessional is usually a wooden structure with a compartment (entered through a door or curtain) in which the priest sits and, on one or both sides, another compartment or compartments for penitents. The latter compartment is separated from the priest's by a partition with a latticed opening for the penitent to speak through and contains a step on which to kneel. By this arrangement the priest is hidden; the penitent may or may not be visible to others. Confessionals often form part of the architectural scheme of the church, but they may be movable pieces of furniture.
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