English Lexicon

Reticent

/ˈrɛt.ɪ.sənt/
adjectiveCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #4500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; reserved.

    "Despite her reticent nature, she surprised everyone with her insightful comments during the meeting."
  2. 2

    Characterized by a reluctance to speak or express thoughts.

    "His reticent demeanor made it difficult for others to understand his true feelings."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'reticentem', present participle of 'reticere' meaning 'to keep silent', formed from the prefix 're-' (intensifier) and 'tacere' (to be silent). The term entered the English language in the early 19th century to describe individuals who are disinclined to speak freely about their thoughts or feelings.

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