diffident

May. 20th, 2021 07:30 am
prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
[personal profile] prettygoodword
diffident (DIF-i-duhnt) - adj., lacking self-confidence, timid, shy; restrained and hesitant in manner, reserved; (arch.) distrustful of others.


The archaic meaning being the original, and somehow distrust of others became distrustful of oneself. The exact antonym is confident, which has the same Latin stem fīdere, to trust, only with con-, here an intensifying prefix, instead of dis-, absence of. Adopted in that first archaic sense in the late 15th century.

---L.

March 2026

S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 567
8 9 10 11 12 1314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Mar. 14th, 2026 03:51 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios