diffident en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- dĭf′ĭ-dənt
- dĭf′ĭ-dĕnt″
- /ˈdɪfɪdənt/
Etymology
From Latin diffīdentem, present participle of diffīdere (“to mistrust”). Doublet of defiant.
Meanings
- (archaic) Lacking confidence in others; distrustful.
-
Lacking self-confidence; timid; modest
At an early point in these exchanges I had started to sidle to the door, and I now sidled through it, rather like a diffident crab on some sandy beach trying to avoid the attentions of a child with a spade.
1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter VIII:Emma is spoiled by being the cleverest of her family. At ten years old, she had the misfortune of being able to answer questions which puzzled her sister at seventeen. She was always quick and assured: Isabella slow and diffident.
1815, Jane Austen, Emma, volume I, chapter 5:Having therefore—but hold, as we are diffident of our own abilities, let us here invite a superior power to our assistance.
1749, Henry Fielding, chapter VIII, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book IV:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most diffident | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more diffident | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
undiffident · diffidently · diffidentness
Synonyms
Translations (53)
ru ро́бкий (lacking confidence in oneself) · sh не̏сигӯран (distrustful) · de schüchtern (lacking confidence in oneself) · fr timide (lacking confidence in oneself) · ru неуве́ренный в себе́ (lacking confidence in oneself) · el άτολμος (lacking confidence in oneself) · el καχύποπτος (distrustful) · nl argwanend (distrustful) · nl wantrouwig (distrustful) · nb mistroisk (distrustful) · de misstrauisch (distrustful) · mi harotu (lacking confidence in oneself) · hu félénk (lacking confidence in oneself) · pt tímido (lacking confidence in oneself) · es difidente (distrustful) · es apocado (lacking confidence in oneself) · es tímido (lacking confidence in oneself) · sh неповјѐрљив (distrustful) · de unsicher (lacking confidence in oneself) · da frygtsom (lacking confidence in oneself) · fi epäluuloinen (distrustful) · da tilbageholdende (lacking confidence in oneself) · hu bátortalan (lacking confidence in oneself) · hu bizalmatlan (distrustful) · el σεμνός (lacking confidence in oneself) · ga náiriúil (lacking confidence in oneself) · sh sramežljiv (lacking confidence in oneself) · pt inseguro (lacking confidence in oneself) · sh не̏поузда̄н (distrustful) · ru скры́тный (distrustful) · sh nepovjèrljiv (distrustful) · mi kōpipiri (lacking confidence in oneself) · es difidente (lacking confidence in oneself) · mi ahaaha (lacking confidence in oneself) · sh nȅsigūran (lacking confidence in oneself) · ru засте́нчивый (lacking confidence in oneself) · nb usikker (lacking confidence in oneself) · sh nȅpouzdān (distrustful) · ga náireach (lacking confidence in oneself) · ru недоверчивый (distrustful) · sh срамежљив (lacking confidence in oneself) · sh nȅsigūran (distrustful) · sh не̏сигӯран (lacking confidence in oneself) · da beskeden (lacking confidence in oneself) · fr méfiant (distrustful) · la diffīdens (distrustful) · nb beskjeden (lacking confidence in oneself) · nl onzeker (lacking confidence in oneself) · el ντροπαλός (lacking confidence in oneself) · fi epävarma (lacking confidence in oneself) · es desconfiado (lacking confidence in oneself) · bg неуверен (lacking confidence in oneself) · da som mangler selvtillid (lacking confidence in oneself)