A confidant is a person you confide in — a trusted friend who hears your secrets. Confident is an adjective meaning self-assured. One is a noun naming someone; the other describes a state of mind. The A marks the person.
The core difference
A noun and an adjective, distinguished by one vowel.
- confidant (noun) — a person you trust with private matters.
- confident (adjective) — self-assured: confident of success.
The feminine form
Confidante with a final E is the traditional feminine form, borrowed from French. It is still used, though many writers now use confidant for anyone — part of a general move away from gendered forms like authoress and aviatrix.
The shared root
Both from Latin confidere, to trust fully. A confidant is trusted; a confident person trusts themselves. Recognising the shared root makes the pair easier to hold apart.
Frequently asked questions
Which spelling is the person?
Confidant, with an A. Confident with an E is the adjective.
What is a confidante?
The traditional feminine form, from French. Many writers now use confidant for anyone.
Are the words related?
Yes, both from Latin confidere, to trust fully — one describes being trusted, the other trusting oneself.