Where does “reticence” come from?
Reticence comes from Middle French réticence, meaning reluctance to speak or unwillingness to disclose information.
reticence (English): Avoidance of saying or reluctance to say too...
Definitions
- Avoidance of saying or reluctance to say too...
Ancestry of “reticence”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | reticentia | silence; aposiopesis; nominative neuter plural of... |
| 2 | Latin | reticēns | being silent, keeping silent; silent, reticent |
| 3 | Latin | reticeo | I am silent, keep silent; I refrain from... |
| 4 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 5 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 6 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |