3: to fill in gaps in memory by fabrication
A major characteristic of brain-damaged patients is the tendency to confabulate—to hide and dissemble about their damage.— Peter R. Breggin
Confabulate is a fabulous word for making fantastic fabrications. Given the similarities in spelling and sound, you might guess that "confabulate" and "fabulous" come from the same root, and they do - the Latin fabula, which means "conversation, story." Another "fabula" descendant that continues to tell tales in English is "fable." All three words have long histories in English: "fable" first appeared in writing in the 14th century, and "fabulous" followed in the 15th. "Confabulate" is a relative newcomer, appearing at the beginning of the 1600s.
Examples of confabulate in a Sentence
an Alzheimer's support group in which caregivers can confabulate as well as commiserate