— confidentiality, confidentialness , n. — confidentially , adv.
/kon'fi den"sheuhl/ , adj.
1. spoken, written, acted on, etc., in strict privacy or secrecy; secret: a confidential remark.
2. indicating confidence or intimacy; imparting private matters: a confidential tone of voice.
3. having another's trust or confidence; entrusted with secrets or private affairs: a confidential secretary.
4. (of information, a document, etc.)
a. bearing the classification confidential, usually being above restricted and below secret.
b. limited to persons authorized to use information, documents, etc., so classified. Cf. classification (def. 5).
[ 1645-55; confidenti ( a ) CONFIDENCE + -AL 1 ]
Syn. 1. restricted, private. 2. intimate, familiar. 3. trusted, trustworthy, private. See familiar .