Reticent
Inclined to keep one's thoughts and feelings to oneself; reserved and quiet in speech.
adjectiveReticent
Inclined to keep one's thoughts and feelings to oneself; reserved and quiet in speech.
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Imagine This
Picture a shy student in a lively classroom who speaks only in brief, guarded phrases and avoids eye contact, even when the teacher asks questions.
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Sounds Like
RET-ih-suhnt
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Looks Like
looks similar to reluctant in nuance; both imply holding back, but reticent specifically refers to speaking
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Remember This
The noun form is 'reticence'. The root retic- comes from Latin reticere, meaning to be silent or to hold back.
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Other Forms
reticencenoun
reticentlyadverb
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Note
Do not confuse with 'reluctant' (hesitant to act) or 'secretive' (concealing information). Reticent is about speaking or sharing thoughts, not about avoidance in general.