confide

Where does the word "confide" come from? It comes from Latin fides, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Confide’s story begins in Latin: fides meant “faith, trust.” Faith, trust, giving rise to fidere (to trust). Within Latin, it grew into confidere by ancient. To trust fully, from com- and fidere. It reached English by 1400s as confide. Settled as the English word for telling someone a secret in trust. Today, confide means to tell someone a secret or private matter, trusting them to keep it confidential.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fides "faith, trust", faith, trust, giving rise to fidere (to trust).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient confidere "to trust fully", to trust fully, from com- and fidere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s confide "to tell someone a secret in trust", settled as the English word for telling someone a secret in trust.