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Feb 11, 2011
This week's themeWords to describe people This week's words dyspeptic caitiff tetchy valetudinarian reticent This week's comments AWADmail 450 Next week's theme Polysemantic words Discuss Feedback RSS/XML A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Gargreticent
PRONUNCIATION:
(RET-i-suhnt)
MEANING:
adjective:1. Reluctant to share one's thoughts and feelings. 2. Restrained or unwilling. ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin reticere (to keep silent), from tacere (to be silent).
Earliest documented use: 1825.
USAGE:
"Lester is usually among the more reticent Red Sox, so a statement from
him falling somewhere between candid and brash rates as a surprise."Gabe Lacques; Red Sox's Jon Lester; USA Today (Washington, DC); Jan 25, 2011. See more usage examples of reticent in Vocabulary.com's dictionary. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one's mind. -William Somerset Maugham, writer (1874-1965)
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