Word a Day
diffident
What does diffident mean?
diffident (adjective): lacking self-confidence; timid; modest.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use diffident in a sentence?
- She was diffident when offering a comment on the professor's lecture. (Princeton WordNet 3.1)
How do you pronounce diffident?
/ˈdɪfɪdənt/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does diffident come from?
From Latin diffīdentem, present participle of diffīdere (“to mistrust”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “diffident”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “diffident” mean?
having an even, smooth surface; smooth
Not quite: that's what sleek means.
formed or conceived by the imagination
Not quite: that's what fictitious means.
lacking self-confidence; timid; modest
Right! That's what “diffident” means.
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
Not quite: that's what treacherous means.
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