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Discreet vs Diffident - What's the difference?

discreet | diffident | Related terms |

Discreet is a related term of diffident.


As adjectives the difference between discreet and diffident

is that discreet is respectful of privacy or secrecy; quiet; diplomatic while diffident is (archaic): lacking confidence in others; distrustful.

discreet

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Respectful of privacy or secrecy; quiet; diplomatic.
    • With a discreet gesture, she reminded him to mind his manners.
    John just doesn't understand that laughing at Mary all day is not very discreet .
  • Not drawing attention, anger or challenge; inconspicuous.

    • Usage notes

    * Do not confuse with discrete .

    Derived terms

    * discreetly * discretion

    Anagrams

    * ----

    diffident

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (archaic): Lacking confidence in others; distrustful.
  • Lacking confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful; characterized by modest reserve.
  • *
    • Having therefore—but hold, as we are diffident of our own abilities, let us here invite a superior power to our assistance.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1960 , author= , title=(Jeeves in the Offing) , section=chapter VIII , passage=At an early point in these exchanges I had started to sidle to the door, and I now sidled through it, rather like a diffident crab on some sandy beach trying to avoid the attentions of a child with a spade.}}