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diffident: msg#00005

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Subject: diffident

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The Word of the Day for November 6 is:

diffident \DIF-uh-dunt\ adjective
1 : hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-
confidence
*2 : reserved, unassertive

Example sentence:
Always diffident and soft-spoken, Tony did not raise any
objection when the cashier overcharged him for his purchase.

Did you know?
"Diffident" and "confident" are antonyms, but both have a
lot to do with how much trust you have in yourself. Etymology
reveals the role that that underlying trust plays in the two
terms. "Confident" and "diffident" both trace to the Latin
verb "fidere," which means "to trust." "Diffident" arose from a
combination of "fidere" and the prefix "dis-," meaning "the
absence of," and it has been used to refer to individuals
lacking in self-trust since the 15th century. "Confident" arose
from "confidere," a term created by combining "fidere" with the
intensifying prefix "con-." That term has been used for self-
trusting souls since at least the late 16th century. By the
way, "fidere" puts the trust in several other English words too,
including "fidelity" and "fiduciary."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.







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