What does intimacy mean?
Intimacy means a close relationship founded on familiarity, trust, and emotional openness. It can describe the bond between close friends or family members, a romantic or sexual relationship, or the private and personal quality of a conversation, room, or exchange. The word is more suggestive than “friendship” because it implies emotional openness, and more specific than “closeness” because it conveys warmth and personal significance. “Sexual intimacy” is a common technical or descriptive phrase referring to sexual closeness. In broader use, intimacy can indicate something so private or familiar that it encourages confidence and candour, as in the intimacy of a personal conversation. The term is generally appropriate in formal and informal contexts, although its emotional and relational associations make it more personal than purely factual language.
nounA close, personal relationship marked by familiarity, trust, and emotional openness. The word can also refer to sexual or romantic closeness, or to a private and familiar atmosphere.
- A close and emotionally open relationship between people, especially one involving trust and familiarity.
- Sexual or romantic closeness between people.
- A private, familiar, or personally significant quality, as in the intimacy of a conversation or setting.
"Years of shared experience had created a deep intimacy between the two friends."
"The couple spoke with an intimacy that made the surrounding room feel private."
"She was known for her warmth and her rare emotional intimacy with her family."
The plural is used when referring to multiple close personal or sexual relationships.
"The film explores the intimacies and conflicts within a large family."
Intimacy comes from Latin intimus, meaning “most inward”: the word began by describing what lies deepest within the self before it came to mean closeness between people.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intimacy come from?
Intimacy entered English through French intimité, which was derived from Latin intimus, meaning “most inward” or “deepest.” Latin intimus is related to forms associated with the inside or interior, reflecting the word’s early sense of something private and deeply personal. The English noun developed into its modern sense of a close personal relationship, while later usage also established the meaning of sexual closeness and of a private, familiar atmosphere.
Related word forms
How intimacy is actually used
The word is generally neutral and formal, though it often carries a warm, personal, or emotionally significant connotation. In the phrase “sexual intimacy,” it refers specifically to sexual closeness and may be used in medical, educational, or relationship contexts.
Easily confused with intimacy
Familiarity describes the condition of being well acquainted, whereas intimacy specifically emphasizes a close relationship involving trust, openness, or personal connection.
Privacy refers to freedom from intrusion, while intimacy refers to closeness between people or the private, personal quality of a setting or relationship.