Confidant

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɑn.fɪ.dɑnt/

Definitions

1. A person with whom one shares private matters and secrets, trusting them to keep such information discreet
2. A trusted person to whom one reveals intimate thoughts and secrets with the expectation of discretion
3. Someone entrusted with another's private affairs and personal confidences due to established trust

Etymology: Confidant and confident are the same word in English, split apart in the 1600s. Both descend from Latin "cōnfīdere," "to trust completely," built from "con-" (intensive, "altogether") and "fīdere" (to trust), which comes from the same root as "fides," faith. Latin's present participle, "cōnfīdentem," meaning "trusting," passed through Italian "confidente" and French "confident," where it kept the sense of self-assurance or trust in another person. English borrowed the adjective "confident" from French, and the noun form "confidant" followed later, using the French ending to name a person who holds your trust. The spelling with -ant reflects that French origin, and the noun gave English a term for a trusted friend who knows one's secrets. The two forms now differ mainly in function: "confident" describes a mood or belief, while "confidant" names the person who receives private confidences.

Synonyms: trusted friend, confidante

Antonyms: stranger