adj
diffident
Diffident (adj) means Reluctant to trust other people.
adj
1
Reluctant to trust other people.
2
Shy and unsure of oneself.
"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."
— P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing (1960)
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Etymology
Comes from Latin diffīdentem, the present participle of diffīdere ("to mistrust"). A doublet of defiant.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for diffident
See all rhymes for diffident →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of diffident?
"diffident" (adj) means reluctant to trust other people.
What is another word for diffident?
Other words for "diffident" include timid, unsure, shy.
What is the opposite of diffident?
The opposite of "diffident" is confident.
What are the different meanings of diffident?
"diffident" has 2 main meanings: 1. Reluctant to trust other people; 2. Shy and unsure of oneself.
