Reticently

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner showing restraint or unwillingness to speak or act freely
2. Expressed with hesitation or holding back from revealing much
3. Done quietly or with difficulty in sharing one's thoughts or feelings

Etymology: Reticently is simply reticent plus the adverbial ending "-ly", and the adjective "reticent" carries the real story. It comes from Latin "reticens", the present participle of "reticere", meaning "to keep silent" or "hold back", built from "re-" (back) and "tacere" (to be silent), the same root behind "tacit". The Latin sense was literal silence, and the English adjective kept that core, describing someone disinclined to speak freely about their thoughts or feelings. The adverb inherits its ending from a long Germanic line. The suffix "-ly" descends from an old word meaning "body" or "form", so "-ly" originally meant "in the shape of" or "in the manner of". It passed through Old English "-līce" and Middle English "-ly" before becoming the everyday adverb marker it is today.

Synonyms: reservedly, quietly, hesitantly, discreetly, tacitly

Antonyms: outspokenly, freely, expressively, bluntly, vocally