Skip to content
word of the day

The word for today is…

diffident (adjective) –

1 : hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-confidence
2 : reserved, unassertive
3 : (archaic) : distrustful

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : Diffident and confident are etymologically related antonyms, perched at opposite ends of a scale of self-assurance. Both words trace back to the Latin verb fidere, which means “to trust.” Diffident arose from a combination of fidere and the prefix dis-, meaning “the absence of”; it has been used to refer to individuals lacking in self-trust since the 15th century. Confident arose from confidere, a term created by combining fidere with the intensifying prefix con-. That term has been used for self-trusting folks since at least the late 16th century. Fidere puts the trust in several other English words too, including fidelity and fiduciary.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest