diffident stresses a distrust of one's own ability or opinion that causes hesitation in acting or speaking.

One almost feels diffident about creeping into one's tailor's establishment to get a patch put on a favourite garment.

diffident (ˈdɪfɪdənt) adj lacking self-confidence; timid; shy [C15: from Latin diffīdere to distrust, from dis- not + fīdere to trust]

Jan 11, 2016 · The adjective diffident describes someone who is shy and lacking in self-confidence. If you are shy and have a diffident manner, you should probably not choose one of …

DIFFIDENT definition: lacking confidence in one's own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy. See examples of diffident used in a sentence.

Definition of diffident adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Feb 27, 2025 · diffident (comparative more diffident, superlative most diffident) (archaic) Lacking confidence in others; distrustful. Having therefore—but hold, as we are diffident of our own …

Someone who is diffident is rather shy and does not enjoy talking about themselves or being noticed by other people. Helen was diffident and reserved.

Factsheet What does the word diffident mean? There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the word diffident. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

She has a diffident [= reserved] manner. She was diffident about stating her opinion.