confidant
UK: ˈkɒnfɪdænt | US: ˈkɑːnfɪdænt
n. a person trusted with private or secret matters; a close friend.
confidant = con<with, together> + fid<trust> + ant<noun suffix>
- con: From Latin cum ("with, together"), indicating mutual involvement.
- fid: From Latin fidere ("to trust"), seen in words like fidelity and confide.
- ant: A noun-forming suffix denoting a person who performs an action (e.g., assistant).
Etymology Origin:
Derived from French confident (itself from Italian confidente), the word evolved from Latin confidere ("to trust fully"). The spelling shift to confidant in English distinguished it from confident (adj.), emphasizing the role of a trusted person. The morphemes reflect the core idea of shared trust (con- + fid-) embodied in a person (-ant).
She has been my confidant since childhood.
He served as both a mentor and a confidant to the young artist.
A good therapist often becomes a patient’s confidant.
The CEO’s confidant handled sensitive negotiations discreetly.
In the novel, the protagonist’s confidant reveals a crucial secret.