Word of the Day - 09/26/26
diffident
/'dɪfɪdənt/(adj.): lacking self-confidence
The diffident student hesitated to ask questions, fearing he might sound foolish.
(adj.): reserved
Despite her success, she remained diffident, deflecting praise with a humble smile.
Word Origin
The word 'diffident' originates from the Latin 'diffidentem', the present participle of 'diffidere', meaning 'to distrust' or 'to lack confidence'. It is composed of the prefix 'dis-' (meaning 'apart', 'away', or 'not') and 'fidere' (meaning 'to trust'), which itself comes from 'fides' (meaning 'faith' or 'trust'). Thus, 'diffident' literally means 'not trusting' or 'lacking trust' (in oneself).
Words with a similar origin, stemming from the Latin root 'fides' or 'fidere' related to trust and faith, include 'confide' (to trust in someone), 'fidelity' (faithfulness, loyalty), 'fiduciary' (involving trust, especially with money), 'infidel' (a person who does not believe in a particular religion or in religion generally), and 'perfidy' (deceitfulness; untrustworthiness, originally from 'per-fides' meaning 'through faith', implying a betrayal of faith).