diffidence
pronunciation
How to pronounce diffidence in British English:
UK ['dɪfɪdəns]
How to pronounce diffidence in American English:
US [ˈdɪfɪdəns, -ˌdɛns]
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- Noun:
- lack of self-confidence
Word Origin
- diffidence
- diffidence: see defy
- diffidence (n.)
- c. 1400, from Latin diffidentia "mistrust, distrust, want of confidence," from diffidere "to mistrust, lack confidence," from dis- "away" (see dis-) + fidere "to trust" (see faith). Modern sense is of "distrusting oneself" (1650s). The original sense was the opposite of confidence.
Antonym
Example
- 1. Ware regards earhart 's pose of lindberghian diffidence with critical amusement .
- 2. Mr yudhoyono 's former diffidence makes his new posture all the more striking .
- 3. A feeling of diffidence about doing something .
- 4. He has diffidence in expressing his opinions .
- 5. At the root of it is my diffidence , by which I have been enslaved since childhood .