Inhibited

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Restrained in behavior or expression due to self-consciousness
2. experiencing limitations in one's actions or emotions because of psychological barriers
3. Showing reserved or controlled behavior often caused by shyness or fear ; held back emotionally or mentally by internal psychological factors

Etymology: The adjective "inhibited" is a participle that has settled into a description of character: someone so self-conscious they hold back. Its root is Latin "inhibēre," meaning "to hold in, check, restrain," built from "in," meaning "in" or "on," and "habēre," meaning "to have, hold, keep." The Latin verb is a compound of physical holding, so the original sense is closer to gripping something in place than to any feeling. That physical sense is still visible in the verb "inhibit," which for centuries meant to forbid or prohibit something by authority, as a ruler might hold back an action. The mental sense of checking an impulse or emotion developed from that idea of restraint. The adjective then took on the personal, psychological meaning of a person whose feelings are held back, which is why "inhibited" now usually describes shyness rather than any action being blocked.

Synonyms: restrained, restricted, shy, self-conscious, reserved

Antonyms: uninhibited, outgoing, extroverted, free, expressive