Definition
Unwilling to speak much or reluctant to reveal information; quiet and reserved about feelings or opinions.
Etymology
From Latin 'reticens' (silent, keeping quiet), from 'reticere' (to keep silent), composed of 're-' (back) and 'tacere' (to be silent). Entered English in the 18th century with the meaning of deliberate silence or reserve.
Kelly Says
People often confuse 'reticent' with 'reluctant,' but 'reticent' specifically means someone won't talk about something—it's the silence itself that's reticent, not just the unwillingness.
Translations
AFAfrikaans
terughoudend
te-rug-HOU-dend
ARالعربية
متحفظ
mu-ta-haf-fiz
BGБългарски
мълчалив
mul-cha-LIV
CACatalà
reticent
re-ti-SENT
CSČeština
mlčenlivý
ml-chen-li-VY
DADansk
tilbageholden
til-ba-ge-HOL-den
DEDeutsch
verschwiegen
fer-SHVEE-gen
ELΕλληνικά
αποκρυφικός
a-po-kri-fi-KOS
ESEspañol
reticente
re-ti-TEN-te
FISuomi
vähäpuheinen
vae-hae-pu-hei-nen
FRFrançais
réticent
re-ti-SAN
GLGalego
reticente
re-ti-TEN-te
HRHrvatski
šutljiv
SHUT-lyiv
HUMagyar
hallgatólagos
hal-ga-to-la-gosh
IDBahasa Indonesia
pendiam
pen-di-AM
ITItaliano
reticente
re-ti-TEN-te
KO한국어
말이 없는
mal-i eop-neun
LVLatviešu
klusums
KLU-sums
MSBahasa Melayu
pendiam
pen-di-AM
MYမြန်မာ
နှုတ်မှိတ်သော
hnoke-hmait-thaw
NLNederlands
terughoudend
te-rug-HOU-dend
NONorsk
tilbakeholden
til-ba-ke-HOL-den
PLPolski
małomówny
ma-wo-MOV-ny
PTPortuguês
reticente
re-ti-TEN-te
RORomână
reticent
re-ti-CHENT
RUРусский
молчаливый
mol-cha-LI-vyy
SKSlovenčina
mlčanlivý
ml-chan-li-VY
SLSlovenščina
molčeč
mol-CHECH
SRСрпски
шутљив
SHUT-lyiv
SVSvenska
tystlåten
tyst-LO-ten
SWKiswahili
nyamavu
nya-ma-VU
UKУкраїнська
мовчазний
mov-chaz-NYY
VITiếng Việt
ít nói
it noi
ZH中文
沉默寡言的
chén mò guǎ yán de