What does confidante mean?
A confidante is a person to whom one entrusts private thoughts, feelings, or secrets, with full confidence that they will be kept safe. Traditionally, the spelling 'confidante' referred specifically to a female confidant, mirroring French grammatical gender, while 'confidant' served as the general or masculine form; today the two spellings are frequently used interchangeably. The word conveys warmth and intimacy — a confidante is more than a friend, being someone granted access to one's innermost concerns. It appears most often in phrases such as 'close confidante' or 'trusted confidante', and is common in biography, journalism, and fiction when describing advisers, siblings, or longtime companions who hold privileged knowledge. Derived from the Latin 'confidere', meaning 'to trust fully', the word shares its roots with 'confide' and 'confidence'. Its enduring usefulness lies in naming a specific and valued social role that few other English words capture so precisely.
nounA person with whom one shares a secret or private matters, trusting them not to repeat what they are told. The spelling 'confidante' traditionally denotes a female confidant.
- A person, traditionally a woman, entrusted with private thoughts, feelings, or secrets.
"Her sister had always been her closest confidante, the one person who knew everything about her."
"As the queen's most trusted confidante, she alone knew of the plans for the coronation."
"In her memoir, she describes her editor as both a sharp critic and an invaluable confidante."
The plural follows standard English conventions by adding '-s'; the feminine '-e' ending is retained before the plural suffix.
"Over the years, the princess relied on only a handful of close confidantes."
That final '-e' on 'confidante' was once a grammatical gender marker borrowed straight from French — it literally meant your secret-keeper was a woman.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of confidante
The word derives from the Latin 'confidere', meaning 'to have full trust', formed from 'com-' (intensive) and 'fidere' ('to trust'), the same root that gives us 'fidelity' and 'confidence'. It entered English in the early 17th century via the Italian 'confidente' and French 'confidant(e)'. The feminine form 'confidante', with its distinctive final '-e', reflects French grammatical gender and was long reserved for women, though modern usage increasingly treats it as interchangeable with 'confidant'.
How confidante is actually used
The spelling 'confidante' carries a traditional feminine connotation, but many modern writers use it interchangeably with 'confidant' regardless of gender. Some style guides prefer 'confidant' for all uses. The word has a warm, intimate register and implies deep trust rather than mere acquaintance.
Easily confused with confidante
'Confidant' is the standard spelling for a trusted keeper of secrets of any gender, while 'confidante' traditionally specifies a woman, though in modern usage the two are often interchangeable.