confidant
KON-fih-dahnt
/ˈkɒnfɪdænt/
A person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it.
A highly specific role in a friendship; a confidant is not just someone you hang out with, but someone who holds your deepest secrets.
The story behind the word. Confidant entered English in the 17th century from the French 'confident', which adapted the Italian 'confidente'. All of these trace back to the Latin 'confidere', meaning 'to trust fully' (from 'com-' as an intensive prefix + 'fidere' meaning 'to trust').
Word relationships
- intimate: An intimate is a very close friend, but a confidant is specifically defined by the sharing of secrets.
- advisor: An advisor gives professional or practical guidance, while a confidant offers emotional trust and secrecy.
- adversary: An adversary is an opponent, the opposite of a trusted keeper of secrets.
Commonly confused with
- confident: Confident (ending in -ent) is an adjective meaning self-assured, while confidant (ending in -ant) is a noun meaning a trusted friend.
Word family
- confide (verb): To trust someone enough to tell them a secret.
- confidence (noun): A feeling of trust or a secret told in trust.
Collocations
- trusted confidant
- close confidant
- chief confidant
- act as a confidant
Idioms & expressions
- keep close counsel
Example sentences
- "The queen's closest confidant was her lady-in-waiting, who kept her secrets for decades." A biography of a famous historical monarch.
- "He had no confidant to whom he could open his heart, and the secret weighed heavily on him." A classic novel depicting personal struggles.
Memory hook
A confidant is someone in whom you can 'confide' with absolute 'confidence'. Confiding with confidence.
When not to use
Do not use for a casual acquaintance or a coworker with whom you only discuss business.
Fun facts
- The spelling 'confidante' (with an 'e' at the end) is historically used specifically to refer to a female confidant, though 'confidant' is now widely used for all genders.
Related words
Also appears in
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