diffident

diffident

hesitant to assert oneself; timid

Not to be confused with:

different – dissimilar; unlike; separate and distinct

Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

dif·fi·dent

 (dĭf′ĭ-dənt, -dĕnt′)

adj.

Lacking or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid: He was too diffident to express his opinion.

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[Middle English, from Latin diffīdēns, diffīdent-, present participle of diffīdere, to mistrust : dis-, dis- + fīdere, to trust; see bheidh- in Indo-European roots.]

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dif′fi·dent·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

diffident

(ˈdɪfɪdənt)

adj

lacking self-confidence; timid; shy

[C15: from Latin diffīdere to distrust, from dis- not + fīdere to trust]

ˈdiffidence n

ˈdiffidently adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

dif•fi•dent

(ˈdɪf ɪ dənt)

adj.

1. lacking confidence in one's own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy.

2. hesitant or tentative in manner; reserved.

3. Archaic. distrustful.

[1425–75; late Middle English < Latin diffīdent-, s. of diffīdēns, present participle of diffīdere to lack confidence =dif- dif- + fīdere to trust (see faith)]

dif′fi•dence, n.

dif′fi•dent•ly, adv.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	diffident - showing modest reserve; "she was diffident when offering a comment on the professor's lecture" reserved - marked by self-restraint and reticence; "was habitually reserved in speech, withholding her opinion"-Victoria Sackville-West
	2.	diffident - lacking self-confidence; "stood in the doorway diffident and abashed"; "problems that call for bold not timid responses"; "a very unsure young man" shy, unsure, timid confident - having or marked by confidence or assurance; "a confident speaker"; "a confident reply"; "his manner is more confident these days"; "confident of fulfillment"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

diffident

adjective shy, reserved, withdrawn, reluctant, modest, shrinking, doubtful, backward, unsure, insecure, constrained, timid, self-conscious, hesitant, meek, unassuming, unobtrusive, self-effacing, sheepish, bashful, timorous, unassertive She was diffident and reserved in meetings.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

diffident

adjective

Not forward but reticent or reserved in manner:

backward, bashful, coy, demure, modest, retiring, self-effacing, shy, timid.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

عَديم الثِّقَه بِنَفْسِهِ

bázlivýnesmělý

skyusikker

schüchtern

óframfærinn

diffidenteinsicurotimido

nepasitikėjimas saviminepasitikintis saviminetvirtai

biklsnedrošs

forknyttnølende

çekingenpısırık

缺乏自信的

diffident

[ˈdɪfɪdənt] ADJ → inseguro, cohibido

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

diffident

[ˈdɪfɪdənt] adj → qui manque d'assurance, peu sûr(e) de soi
to be diffident → manquer d'assurance, être peu sûr(e) de soi

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

diffident

adj → zurückhaltend, bescheiden; smile → zaghaft; he was diffident about offering his help → er hat zaghaft seine Hilfe angeboten

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

diffident

[ˈdɪfɪd/ənt] adj (person) → poco sicuro/a di sé; (smile) → timido/a, imbarazzato/a
to be diffident about doing sth → esitare a fare qc

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

diffident

(ˈdifidənt) adjective

not confident. beskroomd, halfhartig عَديم الثِّقَه بِنَفْسِهِ неуверен inseguro nesmělý, bázlivý schüchtern usikker; sky διστακτικόςinseguro ebakindel, tagasihoidlik فاقد اعتماد به نفس arka qui manque d'assurance חֲסַר בִּטָחוֹן עַצמִי शंकालु, आत्मसंशयी plah, bez samopouzdanja félénk tidak yakin óframfærinn insicuro 自信がない 자신이 없는 nepasitikintis savimi nedrošs; bikls kurang keyakinan verlegenusikker, nølende, forknyttniepewny پرځان ويسا نه لرنه inseguro ne­­încrezător (în sine) неуверенный в себе nesmelý nezaupljiv nesiguran försagd ประหม่า çekingen, pısırık 缺乏自信的 невпевнений в собі خود اعتمادی سے محروم thiếu tự tin 缺乏自信的

ˈdiffidently adverb

skroomvallige بِعَدَم ثِقَه неуверено inseguramente nesměle, bázlivě schüchtern usikkert διστακτικά con inseguridad ebakindlalt, tagasihoidlikult با کمرویی arasti timidement בְּבַּיישָׁנוּת संदेहास्पदता से plaho, preskromno félénken keraguan feimnislega timidamente おずおずと 자신 없게 netvirtai, nedrąsiai nedroši; bikli dengan cara kurang keyakinan verlegenusikkert, nølende niepewnie, bez wiary w siebie بى باوره inseguramente timid неуверенно nesmelo nezaupljivo nesigurno osäkert อย่างประหม่า çekingenlikle 膽怯地 боязко, соромливо جھجکتے ہوۓ một cách thiếu tự tin 胆怯地

ˈdiffidence noun

skroomvalligheid عَدَم ثِقَه неувереност insegurança nesmělost, nedostatek sebedůvěry die Schüchternheit usikkerhed; skyhed διστακτικότηταinseguridad ebakindlus, tagasihoidlikkus عدم اعتماد به نفس؛ کمرویی arkuus manque d'assurance חוֹסֶר בִּטָחוֹן עַצמִי plahost, manjak samopouzdanja félénkség ketidakyakinan óframfærni, feimni insicurezza, timidezza 自信のなさ 자신 없음 nepasitikėjimas savimi nedrošība; biklums kekurang keyakinan verlegenheidusikkerhet, nøling niedowierzanie własnym siłom پرځان ويسانه لرنه، محجوبيت insegurança neîncredere неуверенность в себе nedostatok sebadôvery nezaupljivost nesigurnost försagdhet, osäkerhet ความประหม่า çekingenlik 缺乏自信心，羞怯 невпевненість у собі; боязкість جھجک sự thiếu tự tin 缺乏自信心，羞怯

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.