confidentia

Confidentia is a Latin abstract noun meaning confidence, trust, or assurance. In Latin, the term derives from the verb confidere, “to trust” or “to have faith in.” The word can denote personal trust—trust placed in a person or a principle—or the quality of being trustworthy.

Etymology and sense: Confidentia comes from confidere with the suffix -entia, forming an abstract noun. It is related to the English word confident in its root sense of trust, though it is not commonly used in modern Latin outside scholarly contexts.

Historical usage: In classical Latin literature, confidentia appears in discussions of trust between individuals, oaths, and social obligations. In medieval and early modern Latin, it is encountered in contexts related to confidentiality and secrecy, referring to an obligation to keep entrusted information private or to maintain the privacy of communications.

Modern usage: Today, confidentia survives mainly in academic or historical discussions of Latin language and liturgy. The modern English terms confidentiality and confidence trace their etymological lineage to the same root, but the Latin form confidentia itself is rarely used in contemporary English texts.

See also: confidentiality, confidence, confide, Latin language, Latin legal terms.