taciturn

tac·i·turn

adjective \ˈta-sə-ˌtərn\

Definition of TACITURN

: temperamentally disinclined to talk

— tac·i·tur·ni·ty \ˌta-sə-ˈtər-nə-tē\ noun

Examples of TACITURN

1. a somewhat taciturn young man
2. <a taciturn man, he almost never initiates a conversation>
3. I went on speech strike … remaining defiantly taciturn through a procession of speech therapists and psychotherapists, verbalizing only to the gardener and swearing him to silence. —Simon Schama, New Republic, 22 July 2002
4. The pipe-smoking Malcolm Cowley … though a faithful fellow-traveller, was too taciturn usually to show his hand. —Mary McCarthy, Granta 27, Summer 1989
5. She was a small, taut, pale, wiry London girl, alarmingly taciturn, demon at basketball (at which she captained us) … —Elizabeth Bowen, The Mulberry Tree, 1986
6. When he got to the substation that night, this private taciturn fellow had to spill his guts. If he didn't tell somebody, he might blow like a land mine. —Joseph Wambaugh, Lines and Shadows, 1984

Origin of TACITURN

French or Latin; French taciturne, from Middle French, from Latin taciturnus, from tacitus (see tacit)

First Known Use: 1734

Related to TACITURN

Synonyms

closemouthed, dumb, laconic, reserved, reticent, silent, tight-lipped, uncommunicative

Antonyms

blabby, chatty, communicative, conversational, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, motormouthed, mouthy, talkative, talky, unreserved

Related Words

aloof, indrawn, inhibited, introverted, reserved, restrained; sedate, self-contained, sober, staid; backward, bashful, coy, demure, diffident, modest, retiring, self-effacing, sheepish

Near Antonyms

free-spoken, outspoken, vocal; gossipy, talebearing; diffuse, long-winded, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy; extroverted (also extraverted), gregarious, outgoing, sociable

See Synonym Discussion at silent

Rhymes with TACITURN

about-turn, Comintern, in return, on the turn, out of turn, overturn, slash-and-burn, to a turn, unconcern