What does diffident mean?
Definitions for diffident
ˈdɪf ɪ dəntdif·fi·dent
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word diffident.
Princeton's WordNet
diffidentadjective
showing modest reserve
"she was diffident when offering a comment on the professor's lecture"
diffident, shy, timid, unsureadjective
lacking self-confidence
"stood in the doorway diffident and abashed"; "problems that call for bold not timid responses"; "a very unsure young man"
Wiktionary
diffidentadjective
Lacking confidence in others; distrustful.
diffidentadjective
Lacking confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful; characterized by modest reserve.
Etymology: present participle of diffidere ("to mistrust")
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Diffidentadjective
Not confident; not certain; distrustful.
Etymology: from diffide.
I am not so confident of my own sufficiency as not willingly to admit the counsel of others; but yet I am not so diffident of myself, as brutishly to submit to any man’s dictates. Charles I .
Be not diffident
Of wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou
Dismiss not her, when most thou need’st her nigh. John Milton.I was really so diffident of it, as to let it lie by me these two years, just as you now see it. Alexander Pope.
Pliny speaks of the Seres, the same people with the Chinese, as being very shy and diffident in their manner of dealing. Arbuthnot.
Distress makes the humble heart diffident. Clarissa.
Wikipedia
Diffident
Shyness (also called diffidence) is the feeling of apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness especially when a person is around other people. This commonly occurs in new situations or with unfamiliar people; a shy person may simply opt to avoid these situations. Although shyness can be a characteristic of people who have low self-esteem, the primary defining characteristic of shyness is a fear of what other people will think of a person's behavior. This fear of negative reactions such as being laughed at, humiliated or patronized, criticized or rejected can cause a shy person to retreat. Stronger forms of shyness can be referred to as social anxiety or social phobia.
ChatGPT
diffident
Diffident is an adjective used to describe someone who lacks self-confidence or is shy and timid in nature because of feelings of self-doubt. It often involves being hesitant to assert oneself due to a fear of criticism or failure.
Webster Dictionary
Diffidentadjective
wanting confidence in others; distrustful
Diffidentadjective
wanting confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful; characterized by modest reserve
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Diffident
dif′i-dent, adj. wanting faith in: distrustful of one's self: modest: bashful.—n. Diff′idence, want of confidence: want of self-reliance: modesty: bashfulness.—adv. Diff′idently. [L., pr.p. of diffidĕre, to distrust—dif (= dis), neg., fīdĕre, to trust—fĭdes, faith.]
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of diffident in Chaldean Numerology is: 4
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of diffident in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for diffident
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- غير واثقArabic
- unsicher, schüchtern, misstrauischGerman
- σεμνός, άτολμος, καχύποπτοςGreek
- malcertaEsperanto
- difidente, apocadoSpanish
- متفاوتPersian
- epävarma, epäluuloinenFinnish
- méfiantFrench
- náireach, náiriúilIrish
- לא בטוחHebrew
- 自信がないJapanese
- ಸಂದೇಹವಾದKannada
- 소심한, 초염한Korean
- onzeker, onbetrouwbaarDutch
- inseguro / tímido / reservado / desconfiadoPortuguese
- скрытный, робкий, недоверчивый, неуверенный в себе, застенчивыйRussian
- неповјѐрљив, nȅpouzdān, не̏поузда̄н, срамежљив, sramežljiv, nepovjèrljiv, nȅsigūran, не̏сигӯранSerbo-Croatian
- 缺乏自信Chinese
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"diffident." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/diffident>.
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