confiados

Confiados is the plural form of the adjective confiado in Spanish and Portuguese, and can also function as a noun in both languages. As an adjective, confiado describes someone who trusts easily or who is inclined to confide in others, as in “es una persona confiada.” As a noun, confiado can refer to a person who has been confided in or someone who has been entrusted with a responsibility or object, for example “el confiado recibió las llaves” or “los confiados en la misión fueron informados.” The feminine forms are confiada and confiadas.

Etymology and range of meaning. Both Spanish and Portuguese derive confiado from the verb confiar, which means to trust, and ultimately from Latin confidere, “to have full trust.” The core sense centers on trust, confidence, and reliance. Depending on context, confiado can emphasize naivete or credulity (someone who trusts too easily) or reliability and trustworthiness (someone who can be trusted). In some uses, particularly as a noun, confiado may denote a person entrusted with information or duties, akin to a confidant or trusted party.

Usage notes. In everyday speech, confiado as an adjective is common and usually neutral or positive, as in “un hombre confiado.” When used as a noun, the term is less frequent than designated equivalents such as confidente or persona de confianza, and may be interpreted as “the entrusted one” or “the trusted person.” In Portuguese, confiado shares similar meanings, with occasional emphasis on reliability when contrasting with antonyms like confiável or desconfiado. The term should be distinguished from confiable (reliable) and from confidente (confidant) to avoid ambiguity.