Confidence

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/

Definitions

1. A feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of their own abilities or qualities
2. A state of assuredness based on one's perceived capabilities that fosters belief in oneself and can influence decision-making and interaction with others
3. The feeling of trust or belief in one's own skills and value as a person

Etymology: Latin "cōnfīdentia" grew from "cōnfīdere," meaning to trust fully or rely on someone, built from "con-" ("with," or intensive "thoroughly") and "fīdere" ("to trust"). That same "fid-" root sits behind "fidelity," "fiancé" and "faith," which makes "confidence" a close relative of words about loyalty and promises rather than of anything about self-belief. The word reached English in Middle English, and its earliest sense was trust placed in another person or in a promise. Confidence in the sense of belief in oneself, the meaning the word carries today, came later, as the idea of relying on one's own abilities developed from relying on others. The word's sense of secrecy also survives in phrases like "in confidence," where something is shared with trust that it will be kept private. Both the modern meaning of self-assurance and the older sense of a trusted disclosure grow from the same root of putting faith in something.

Synonyms: trust, faith, assurance, self-assurance, certainty

Antonyms: doubt, insecurity, uncertainty, mistrust, skepticism