# confusion
## English
### Etymology

From Middle English confusioun, from Old French confusion, from Latin confusio, confusionem.
Morphologically confuse +‎ -ion.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kənˈfjuːʒən/
* Rhymes: -uːʒən
* Audio (US):(file)

### Noun

confusion (usually uncountable, plural confusions)
* A lack of clarity or order.
** 2025 February 1, Tami Luhby, Eric Bradner and Rene Marsh, “Federal employees confused, angered by Trump’s offer to quit”, in CNN‎:But much of the federal workforce is located outside the nation’s capital, and Trump’s offer was met with confusion and skepticism in many of those offices.
* The state of being confused; misunderstanding.
** 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Prologue:Forgive these wild and wandering cries, ⁠Confusions of a wasted youth; ⁠Forgive them where they fail in truth, And in thy wisdom make me wise.
* The act of mistaking one thing for another or conflating distinct things.
    The confusion of sexual orientation and gender identity leads to discrimination and stereotyping.
** 1908, “lay v.¹”, in James A. H. Murray et al., editors, A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume VI, Part 1, London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 128:Now (exc. in Nautical language, see b) it is only dialectal or an illiterate substitute for lie, its identity of form with the past tense of the latter no doubt accounting largely for the confusion.
* Lack of understanding due to dementia.
* (archaic) A state of shame or embarrassment.
** 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling:Lady Bellaston fixed her eyes on Sophia whilst she spoke these words. To which that poor young lady, having her face overspread with blushes and confusion, answered, in a stammering voice […]

#### Synonyms

* (lack of clarity or order): discombobulation
* (state of being confused): bewilderment, disarray

#### Antonyms

* (antonym(s) of “lack of clarity or order”): clarity
* (antonym(s) of “misunderstanding”): distinction

#### Derived terms

* cone of confusion
* confusional
* confusionism
* confusionist
* deconfusion
* inconfusion
* minim confusion
* muscle confusion
* nipple confusion
* reverse confusion

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

## French
### Etymology

Inherited from Middle French confusion, from Old French confusion, borrowed from Latin cōnfusiōnem, from verb confundo.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kɔ̃.fy.zjɔ̃/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

confusion f (plural confusions)
* confusion

#### Derived terms

* prêter à confusion

### Further reading

* “confusion”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

## Middle French
### Etymology

From Old French confusion.

### Noun

confusion f (plural confusions)
* confusion

#### Descendants

* French: confusion

## Old French
### Etymology

Borrowed from Latin confusio, confusionem.

### Noun

confusion oblique singular, f (oblique plural confusions, nominative singular confusion, nominative plural confusions)
* spread (act or instance of spreading)

#### Descendants

* English: confusion
* Middle French: confusion
** French: confusion