Adjacent Words

Confidential definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CONFIDEN'TIAL, a.
1. Enjoying the confidence of another; trusty; that may be safely trusted; as a confidential friend.
2. That is to be treated or kept in confidence; private; as a confidential matter.
3. Admitted to a special confidence.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: entrusted with private information and the confidence of another; "a confidential secretary"
2: (of information) given in confidence or in secret; "this arrangement must be kept confidential"; "their secret communications" [syn: confidential, secret]
3: denoting confidence or intimacy; "a confidential approach"; "in confidential tone of voice"
4: the level of official classification for documents next above restricted and below secret; available only to persons authorized to see documents so classified

Merriam Webster's

adjective Date: 1759 1. marked by intimacy or willingness to confide <a confidential tone> 2. private, secret <confidential information> 3. entrusted with confidences <a confidential clerk> 4. containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could be prejudicial to the national interest — compare secret, top secret • confidentiality noun • confidentially adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 spoken or written in confidence. 2 entrusted with secrets (a confidential secretary). 3 confiding. Derivatives: confidentiality n. confidentially adv.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Confidential Con`fi*den"tial, a. [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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Information that is confidential is meant to be kept secret or private. She accused them of leaking confidential information about her private life... We'll take good care and keep what you've told us strictly confidential, Mr. Lane. ADJ • confidentially People can phone in the knowledge that any information they give will be treated confidentially. ADV: ADV with v • confidentiality ...the confidentiality of the client-solicitor relationship. N-UNCOUNT 2. If you talk to someone in a confidential way, you talk to them quietly because what you are saying is secret or private. 'Look,' he said in a confidential tone, 'I want you to know that me and Joey are cops.'... His face suddenly turned solemn, his voice confidential. ADJ: usu ADJ n • confidentially Nash hadn't raised his voice, still spoke rather softly, confidentially. ADV: ADV after v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Private, not to be disclosed, not to be communicated. 2. Trusty, faithful, to be trusted.

Moby Thesaurus

auricular, between us, chummy, classified, close, closet, esoteric, hush-hush, hushed, in petto, inside, intimate, not for publication, off the record, private, privileged, sealed, secret, thick, tried, trustworthy, trusty, under privilege, unpublishable