Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Reticent |
ReticentAdjective1. Temperamentally disinclined to talk. 2. Cool and formal in manner. 3. Reluctant to draw attention to yourself. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "reticent" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1615. (references) |
Etymology: Reticent \Ret"i*cent\, adjective. [Latin expression reticens, present participle of reticere to keep silence; re- tacere to be silent. See Tacit.]. (references) |
Synonyms: ReticentSynonyms: reserved (adj), restrained (adj), self-effacing (adj), unemotional (adj), untalkative (adj). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Concealment | Obrep furtive, stealthy, feline; skulking; Verb: surreptitious, underhand, hole and corner; sly; (cunning).; secretive, evasive; reserved, reticent, uncommunicative, buttoned up; close, close as wax; taciturn. |
Taciturnity | Taciturn, sparing of words; closetongued; costive, inconversable, curt; reserved; reticent; (concealing). |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Reticent |
| English words defined with "reticent": reticently ♦ Silentious ♦ To keep shady ♦ unreserved. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "reticent": Keep One's Own Counsel. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Reticent" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses. Romanian (reserved, reticent). |
| Domain | Title |
Books |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Economic History | Ukraine | However, banks are reticent to provide financial backing for the purchase of real or personal property. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Reticent" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Reticent" is used about 140 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 100% | 140 | 26,789 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
reticent | 23 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "reticent"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | fjalëpakë (chary, discreet, inconvertible, laconic, silent, taciturn). (various references) | |
Arabic | كتوم (close, discreet, reserved, secretive, taciturn), متكتم (close, secret, secretive, shut in), متحفظ (aloof, aloofness, careful, cautious, close, discreet, incommunicable, incommunicative, reserved, secretive, self contained, stand offish, taciturn, uncommunicative, wary), قليل الكلام (silent, taciturn), صموت (taciturn, uncommunicative). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | сдържан (aloof, buttoned up, chary, composed, continent, coy, distant, modest, offish, remote, reserved, restrained, retiring, stand offish, taciturn, unaffable, uncommunicative, undemonstrative, undramatic, unemotional, unsociable, unsocial), резервиран (aloof, distant, inapproachable, incommunicative, offish, remote, reserved, retiring, self contained, stiff, undemonstrative), който мълчи, който премълчава, необщителен (antisocial, dissociable, dissocial, dry, incommunicable, incommunicative, morose, reserved, segregative, self contained, taciturn, uncommunicative, unneighborly, unneighbourly, unsociable, unsocial, withdrawn), затворен (close, closed, confined, imprisoned, jailed, jugged, landlocked, locked, mediterranean, narrow, pent, pent up, recluse, shut in), потаен (cagey, cagy, covert, disingenuous, furtive, hush hush, inner, reserved, secret, secretive, sly, stealthy, subterranean, underhand). (various references) | |
Chinese | 沉默 (silenced, Silencing). (various references) | |
Czech | nesdílný (retiring, uncommunicative), málomluvný (taciturn, tightlipped). (various references) | |
Farsi | محتاطدرسخن , کم گو. (various references) | |
Finnish | vaitelias (silent, taciturn, uncommunicative), sulkeutunut (reserved, uncommunicative). (various references) | |
French | réticent (reluctant). (various references) | |
German | verschwiegen (closed-mouthed, discreet, discrete, reticently, secluded, secretive, silent). (various references) | |
Greek | κρυψίνους, εχέμυθοσ (discreet, secretive, silent), εχέμυθος (discreet, secretive), λιγόλογοσ (taciturn), λιγόλογος, λιγομίλητος. (various references) | |
Hebrew | מאופק (low key, reserved, restrained, self controlled, undemonstrative), שתקן (silent, taciturn), שתק י (silent, taciturn, tightlipped). (various references) | |
Hungarian | tartózkodó (aloof, chaste, coy, dry, guarded, irresponsive, keeping one's distance, offish, reserved, self contained, self-restrained, shy, standoff, stand-off, standoffish, unresponsive), szűkszavú (laconic, scant of speech, sparing of words, succinct, to be short of speech, to say little). (various references) | |
Italian | reticente. (various references) | |
Korean | 과묵한. (various references) | |
Manx | tostagh (incommunicative, noiseless, reserved, silence, silent, tacit, taciturn), doont (close, shut). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | eticentray.(various references) | |
Portuguese | reticente (close-mouthed), reservado (aloof, box, cagey, chilly, close, closet, confidential, demure, distant, exclusive, freezing, incommunicative, long run, non-committal, offish, particular, qualified, repulsive, reserved, retiring, secretive, self-contained, separate, shy, special, stand-off, stand-offish, taciturn, unamenable, uncommunicative, undemonstrative), taciturno (moody, morose, mumpish, silent, spleenful, sullen, taciturn, uncommunicative), discreto (circumspect, considerate, discreet, discrete, thought-out, unobtrusive, well-thought-out, wizard), calado (dumb, gloomily, half-light, mute, quiet, secretive, silent, speechless, tongue-tied). (various references) | |
Romanian | reticent (reserved), necomunicativ (close, close-mouthed, incommunicative, self contained, unapproachable, uncommunicative), mocnit (dark, dull, gloomy, smoldering, smouldering, taciturn), care face pe misteriosul. (various references) | |
Russian | умалчивающий (silent), сдержанный (chary, checked, continent, demure, distant, frozen, guarded, modest, restrained, self-collected, stand off, stand offish, stand-offish, undemonstrative, unsociable). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | povučen (aloof, coy, demure, recluse, remote, retiring, undemonstrative, unobtrusive, withdrawn), ćutljiv (incommunicative, mum, tight lipped). (various references) | |
Spanish | reservado (bar parlour, classified, close, distant, kept, private, quiet, reserved, retiring, secret, secretive, self contained, uncommunicative). (various references) | |
Swedish | sluten (bent, closed, covered, reserved, sealed, shut). (various references) | |
Turkish | suskun (mute, self contained, silent, speechless, taciturn, tongue tied), sessiz (close-tongued, dumb, hushed, mum, mute, muted, noiseless, nonviolent, non-violent, quiescent, quiet, reserved, silent, soundless, speechless, still, surd, tacit, taciturn, tuneless, unvoiced, voiceless, without a sound, wordless), ketum (close, discreet, incommunicative, secretive, uncommunicative), bildiğini söylemeyen, ağzı sıkı (cagey, close-lipped, discreet, incommunicative, inexpressive, reserved, secretive, tight lipped). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | стриманий (abstemious, abstentious, abstinent, ascetic, chary, chaste, checked, close, collected, composed, continent, coy, demure, discreet, dry, guarded, low key, measured, offish, restrained, self controlled, self-composed, spartan, stand off, temperate, undemonstrative, well balanced), мовчазний (broody, dumb, inarticulate, mum, mute, obmutescent, quiescent, silent, soundless, stilly, tacit, taciturn, tight lipped, uncommunicative, wordless). (various references) | |
Vietnamese | trầm lặng, ít nói; dè dặt kín đáo trong lời nói. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "reticent": reticently. (additional references) | |
| |
"Reticent" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Ratiken, rattiken, ravissent, recitent, recticent, Reichelt, relicent, remincent, remiscent, resticent, rethickens, reticens, reticsent, retilent, retiscent, retisent, retizent, retticent, settecento, Traficant. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "reticent" (pronounced re"tusunt) |
| 5 | -u s u n t | innocent, magnificent. |
| 4 | -s u n t | antidepressant, absent, adjacent, adolescent, complacent, complaisant, convalescent, conversant, Crescent, incandescent, decent, depressant, dispersant, docent, effervescent, evanescent, fluorescent, incessant, indecent, iridescent, lucent, luminescent, nascent, obsolescent, preadolescent, quiescent, recent, reminiscent, suppressant, translucent, tumescent. |
| 3 | -u n t | agent, aggrandizement, agreement, ailment, alignment, allotment, amazement, ambient, ambivalent, amendment, amusement, ancient, announcement, annulment, antecedent, antigovernment, antioxidant, apartment, apparent, appeasement, applicant, appointment, apportionment, ardent, argent, argument, armament, arraignment, arrangement, arrant, arrogant, absorbent, abstinent, abundant, accelerant, accident, accompaniment, accomplishment, abandonment, abatement, aberrant, abhorrent, abortifacient, accountant, accouterment, achievement, acknowledgement, acknowledgment, adamant, adherent, adjournment, adjustment, adjutant, adornment, advancement, advertisement, advisement, afferent, affiant, affluent, ascendant, aspirant, assailant, assessment, assignment, assistant, assortment, astonishment, astringent, atonement, attachment, attainment, attendant, banishment, basement, battlement, belligerent, bemusement, beneficent, benevolent, bereavement, betterment, bewilderment, blandishment, blatant, bombardment, brilliant, buoyant, celebrant, claimant, clairvoyant, Clement, client, coefficient, cogent, cognizant, coherent, coincident, combatant, commandment, commencement, commitment, compartment, competent, complainant, complement, compliant, component, comportment, concealment, concomitant, concurrent, condiment, confident, confinement, confluent, consequent, consignment, consistent, consonant, constant, constituent, consultant, containment, contaminant, contentment, contestant, continent, contingent, convenient, convent, convergent, coolant, copayment, corespondent, cormorant, correspondent, Courant, covenant, crosscurrent, current, curtailment, ignorant, immanent, immigrant, imminent, impairment, impatient, impeachment, impediment, impertinent, implement, important, impotent, impoundment, impoverishment, impressment, imprisonment, improvement, imprudent, inadvertent, debarment, debasement, decadent, decedent, declarant, decongestant, defendant, deferment, defiant, deficient, defoliant, delinquent, deodorant, department, dependent, deployment, deportment, derailment, descendant, descendent, despondent, detachment, detergent, determent, determinant, deterrent, detriment, development, deviant, different, diligent, diminishment, disagreement, disappointment, disarmament, disbarment, disbursement, discernment, discordant, discouragement, disenchantment, disenfranchisement, disengagement, disestablishment, disgruntlement, disillusionment, disinfectant, disinvestment, dismantlement, dismemberment, disobedient, displacement, dissident, dissonant, distant, divalent, divergent, divestment, dominant, dormant, easement, ebullient, efferent, efficient, effluent, elegant, element, elephant, eloquent, embankment, embarrassment, embayment, embellishment, embezzlement, embodiment, emergent, emigrant, eminent, emplacement, employment, empowerment, enactment, encampment, enchantment, encirclement, encouragement, encroachment, endangerment, endearment, endorsement, endowment, enforcement, engagement, enhancement, enjoyment, enlargement, enlightenment, enlistment, enrichment, enrollment, enslavement, entanglement, entertainment, enticement, entitlement, entombment, entrant, entrapment, entrenchment, environment, equipment, equivalent, errant, escapement, escarpment, esculent, establishment, estrangement, evident, excellent, excitement, excrement, exigent, existent, exorbitant, expectant, expectorant, expedient, experiment, exponent, extant, extinguishment, extravagant, exuberant, exultant, Fabricant, fervent, figment, filament, flagrant, flamboyant, flatulent, flippant, fluent, formant, fragment, fragrant, fraudulent, frequent, fulfillment, gallant, garment, garnishment, giant, government, grandiloquent, grandparent, harassment, hesitant, hydrant, incident, incipient, incitement, inclement, incoherent, incompetent, inconsistent, incontinent, inconvenient, increment, incumbent, independent, indictment, indifferent, indigent, indignant, indolent, inducement, indulgent, inefficient, infant, informant, infotainment, infrequent, infringement, ingredient, inhabitant, inhalant, inherent, inpatient, insignificant, insistent, insolent, insolvent, installment, instant, instrument, insufficient, insurgent, integument, intelligent, intercurrent, interdependent, intermittent, internment, intersegment, intolerant, intransigent, invariant, investment, involvement, irrelevant, irreverent, irritant, itinerant, jubilant, judgement, judgment, latent, leant, lenient, lieutenant, ligament, litigant, lubricant, luxuriant, malevolent, malignant, maltreatment, management, measurement, merchant, micromanagement, migrant, militant, miscreant, misgovernment, misjudgment, mismanagement, misstatement, mistreatment, moment, monovalent, monument, mordant, movement, mutant, negligent, noncombatant, nonexistent, nongovernment, nonmanagement, nonpayment, nonresident, nonviolent, nourishment, nutrient, obedient, observant, occupant, odorant, ointment, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, operant, opponent, opulent, ornament, orpiment, outpatient, outplacement, overconfident, overpayment, overstatement, oxidant, pageant, parchment, parent, parliament, participant, patent, patient, pavement, payment, peasant, penchant, pendant, penitent, pennant, percipient, permanent, persistent, pertinent, petulant, pheasant, pigment, piquant, placement, pleasant, pliant, poignant, pollutant, postponement, postretirement, potent, precedent, predicament, predominant, preeminent, pregnant, prejudgment, prepayment, prescient, present, presentment, prevalent, procurement, proficient, prominent, pronouncement, propellant, proponent, protestant, provident, prudent, prurient, pungent, punishment, pursuant, puzzlement, quadrant, quotient, radiant, rampant, readjustment, reagent, realignment, reappointment, reapportionment, rearmament, rearrangement, reassessment, reassignment, recalcitrant, recipient, recombinant, recruitment, recurrent, redeployment, redevelopment, redundant, reemployment, reenactment, refinement, refreshment, refrigerant, refurbishment, Regent, regiment, registrant, reimbursement, reinforcement, reinstatement, reinvestment, relevant, reliant, reluctant, remnant, repayment, repellent, repentant, replacement, replenishment, repugnant, requirement, resentment, resettlement, resident, resilient, resistant, resonant, resplendent, respondent, restatement, resultant, resurgent, retardant, retirement, retrenchment, reverent, rodent, rudiment, ruminant, sacrament, salient, seafront, sealant, sediment, segment, semipermanent, sentiment, Sequent, sergeant, serpent, servant, settlement, shipment, significant, silent, solvent, somnolent, stagnant, statement, stimulant, strident, stringent, student, subcontinent, subsequent, subservient, succulent, sufficient, supergiant, superintendent, supplement, supplicant, surfactant, talent, tangent, temperament, tenant, tenement, testament, tetravalent, tolerant, torrent, tournament, transcendent, transient, transparent, treatment, trenchant, trident, triumphant, truant, truculent, turbulent, tyrant, undercurrent, underdevelopment, underemployment, undergarment, underpayment, understatement, unemployment, unimportant, unpleasant, unrepentant, urgent, vacant, vagrant, valiant, variant, vehement, verdant, vibrant, vigilant, violent, virulent, warrant, wonderment. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-e-e-i-n-r-t-t" | |
-1 letter: cittern, enteric, enticer, nettier, tentier. | |
-2 letters: center, centre, cerite, cretin, entice, entire, netter, recent, recite, retine, retint, tenrec, tenter, tentie, tercet, tierce, tinter, triene. | |
-3 letters: citer, enter, erect, inert, inter, nicer, niece, niter, nitre, recti, rente, retie, tenet, terce, terne, tinct, titer, titre, treen, trice, trine, trite. | |
-4 letters: cent, cere, cete, cine, cire, cite. | |
| Words containing the letters "c-e-e-i-n-r-t-t" | |
+1 letter: intercept, interject, intersect. | |
+2 letters: centiliter, centimeter, certainest, interacted, intercaste, intercepts, interjects, intersects, interstice, remittance, reticently, tetracaine. | |
+3 letters: actinometer, centiliters, centimeters, centripetal, certainties, condottiere, counterfeit, incertitude, interactive, intercalate, intercepted, intercepter, interceptor, intercrater, interdicted, interethnic, interjected, interjector, intersected, interstices, introjected, metacentric, multicenter, parenthetic, recruitment, remittances, telocentric, teratogenic, tetracaines, theocentric. | |
+4 letters: acetonitrile, actinometers, anticreative, antielectron, centralities, centricities, contriteness, counterfeits, eccentricity, econometrist, electrotonic, ethnocentric, exercitation, incertitudes, inspectorate, intercalated, intercalates, intercepters, intercepting, interception, interceptors, intercluster, interconnect, interconvert, interculture, intercurrent, interdictive, interjecting, interjection, interjectors, interjectory, interoceptor, intersecting, intersection, intersociety, introspected, metacentrics, orthogenetic, petrogenetic, receptionist, recommitment, reconstitute, recruitments, reindictment, retinotectal, stereopticon, strictnesses, technetronic, telocentrics, tensiometric, tetracycline, theocentrism, theoretician, unrestricted. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Quotations: Non-fiction 6. Usage Frequency 7. Expressions: Internet 8. Translations: Modern | 9. Derivations 10. Rhymes 11. Anagrams 12. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
