What does timidity mean?
Timidity is the quality of being shy, hesitant, or reluctant to assert oneself. The word can describe a person's reserved manner, discomfort in social situations, or reluctance to take risks, and it often carries a slightly formal tone. In ordinary use, timidity is milder than fear or cowardice, although the distinction depends on context: a person may be timidal in unfamiliar company without being afraid in a dangerous situation. The word is particularly useful when describing the social and psychological effects of hesitation, such as difficulty speaking in public, asking for help, or participating in discussion. It can be neutral, as when discussing a child's initial timidity, or mildly critical, as when describing a leader's failure to assert themselves. Timidity is related etymologically to timid and timorous, sharing a Latin root concerned with fear, hesitation, and shyness.
nounTimidity is the quality of being shy, hesitant, or reluctant to assert oneself, especially in the presence of other people. It can also refer to a cautious or fearful manner of acting.
- The quality of being shy, hesitant, or reluctant to assert oneself.
"She overcame her timidity and volunteered an idea during the meeting."
"His timidity made it difficult for him to ask for help."
"She spoke with enough timidity to suggest that she was not fully confident."
The standard plural form is timidities, though timidity is normally used as an uncountable noun and is rarely found in the plural.
"The different timidity of the speakers shaped the discussion."
From the same Latin root as timid and timorous, timidity names the quiet hesitation that can hold a person back from speaking or acting.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does timidity come from?
Timidity entered English through French timidité, from Latin timiditas, a noun derived from timidus, meaning timid or shy. The same Latin family is reflected in English words such as timid and timorous, while the related Latin noun timor means fear. The English word developed in a sense close to shyness and hesitation before becoming established in its modern form.
How timidity is actually used
Timidity is more formal than the everyday word shyness and can sound mildly disapproving when it describes excessive hesitation or reluctance to assert oneself. It should not automatically be taken to mean cowardice.