Where does “diffidence” come from?
Diffidence comes from Latin diffidentia, formed from the prefix dis- and the root bʰidʰ- meaning to trust, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European bʰidʰ-.
diffidence (English): The state of being diffident, timid or shy;...
Definitions
- The state of being diffident, timid or shy;...
Ancestry of “diffidence”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | diffidentia | distrust, mistrust; diffidence; nominative neuter... |
| 2 | Latin | diffīdēns | distrusting |
| 3 | Latin | diffīdō | to distrust, be diffident, be distrustful (coupled with dative of the thing or person subjected) |
| 4 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 5 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 6 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |