candid
KAN-did
/ˈkændɪd/
Truthful and straightforward; frank; unposed or informal in photography.
Describes either direct, unscripted speech or photographs captured without subject preparation.
The story behind the word. From French 'candide' and Latin 'candidus' (white, clear, sincere). It expanded in the 20th century to include unposed photography because unposed shots capture 'unvarnished truth'.
Word relationships
- direct: Direct focuses on straight line of delivery; candid emphasizes truthful unvarnished content.
- unvarnished: Unvarnished suggests raw fact without decorative phrasing.
- guarded: Guarded speech cautiously conceals thoughts, unlike candid speech.
- insincere: Insincere speech pretends false feelings.
Commonly confused with
- kindred: Kindred means related or similar, while candid means honest.
Word family
- candor (noun): The quality of unvarnished honesty.
- candidly (adverb): Honestly and directly.
Collocations
- candid admission
- candid conversation
- candid feedback
- candid photo
Idioms & expressions
- to be candid with you
Example sentences
- "To be completely candid, I don't think this project schedule is realistic." Workplace advice
- "She captured candid photographs of the children playing in the park." Photography context
Memory hook
CAN DID: He CAN speak truth, and he DID so without hesitation. Unposed and untamed truth.
When not to use
Do not use to describe physical objects or logical proofs.
Fun facts
- Voltaire's famous 1759 satire 'Candide' named its main character after this word to highlight his naive innocence.
Related words
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