English
confidence
Confidence comes from Middle English confidence, from Latin cōnfīdentia ‘assurance’, possibly via Old French, from cōnfīdō ‘to confide in’, from con- + fīdō ‘to trust’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeydʰ-‘to trust’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰéydʰeti‘to trust’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*feiðō‘to trust’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfīdō‘to trust’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnfīdō‘to believe, confide in’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnfīdentia‘assurance, confidence’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500confidence
- Englishearliest quotation 1611same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeydʰ-‘to trust’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰéydʰeti‘to trust’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*feiðō‘to trust’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfīdō‘to trust’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnfīdō‘to believe, confide in’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnfīdentia‘assurance, confidence’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500confidence
- Englishearliest quotation 1611same form
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “It is better to truſt in the Lord :…”
Equivalent to confide + ence
Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- ‘to trust’
…
Proto-Italic *feiðō ‘to trust’
Latin fīdō ‘trust’
Latin confīdō ‘to put trust in, have confidence in’
Middle Scots confide
English confide
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- ‘to trust’
federal, federation, defy, confederate, fidelity, defiance, bode, foi, fealty, infidel, confidante, perfidy, 28 more
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰéydʰeti ‘to trust’
through Latin fīdō ‘trust’
Today it means
noun Self-assurance.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- / confidence