CONFIDENTIAL

confidential

(adjective) the level of official classification for documents next above restricted and below secret; available only to persons authorized to see documents so classified

confidential

(adjective) denoting confidence or intimacy; “a confidential approach”; “in confidential tone of voice”

confidential, secret

(adjective) (of information) given in confidence or in secret; “this arrangement must be kept confidential”; “their secret communications”

confidential

(adjective) entrusted with private information and the confidence of another; “a confidential secretary”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

confidential (comparative more confidential, superlative most confidential)

Kept, or meant to be kept, secret within a certain circle of persons; not intended to be known publicly

Synonyms: private, classified, off the record, privileged, secret, dern (obsolete)

Antonyms: public, on the record

(dated) Inclined to share confidences; (of things) making people inclined to share confidences; involving the sharing of confidences.

(dated) Having someone's confidence or trust; having a position requiring trust; worthy of being trusted with confidences.

Source: Wiktionary


Con`fi*den"tial, a. Etym: [Cf. F. confidentiel.]

1. Enjoying, or treated with, confidence; trusted in; trustworthy; as, a confidential servant or clerk.

2. Communicated in confidence; secret. "Confidential messages." Burke. Confidential communication (Law) See Privileged communication, under Privileged.

– Confidential creditors, those whose claims are of such a character that they are entitled to be paid before other creditors.

– Confidential debts, debts incurred for borrowed money, and regarded as having a claim to be paid before other debts. McElrath.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

2 April 2025

COVERT

(adjective) secret or hidden; not openly practiced or engaged in or shown or avowed; “covert actions by the CIA”; “covert funding for the rebels”


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Coffee Trivia

An article published in Harvard Men’s Health Watch in 2012 shows heavy coffee drinkers live longer. The researchers examined data from 400,000 people and found out that men who drank six or more coffee cups per day had a 10% lower death rate.

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