intimate

English

Etymology

From Latin intimare (“to put or bring into, to impress, to make familiar”), from intimus (“inmost, innermost, most intimate”), superlative of intus (“within”), from in (“in”); see interior.

Pronunciation

Adjective, noun

• enPR: ĭn'tĭmət, IPA: /ˈɪn.tɪ.mət/, SAMPA: /"In.tI.m@t/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

• enPR: ĭn'tĭmāt, IPA: /ˈɪn.tɪ.meɪt/, SAMPA: /"In.tI.meIt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

intimate (comparative more intimate, superlative most intimate)

1. Closely acquainted; familiar.

   He and his sister deeply valued their intimate relationship as they didn't have much else to live for.

2. Of or involved in a sexual relationship.

   She enjoyed some intimate time alone with her husband.

3. Personal, private.

   an intimate friend

   an intimate setting

Translations

closely acquainted; familiar

Czech: důvěrný (cs) m. Dutch: innig (nl) Esperanto: intima (eo) Finnish: tuttu (fi)

Hungarian: bizalmas (hu) Polish: bliski (pl) Swedish: intim (sv)

of or involved in a sexual relationship

Finnish: intiimi (fi) Greek: ενδόμυχος (el) Hungarian: intim (hu)

Polish: intymny (pl) Swedish: intim (sv)

personal, private

Esperanto: intima (eo) Finnish: henkilökohtainen (fi)

Polish: osobisty (pl) Swedish: intim (sv)

Noun

intimate (plural intimates)

1. A very close friend.

   Only a couple of intimates had ever read his writing.

2. (in plural intimates) Women's underwear, sleepwear, or lingerie, especially offered for sale in a store.

   You'll find bras and panties in the women's intimates section upstairs.

Synonyms

• (close friend): bosom buddy, bosom friend, cater-cousin

Translations

very close friend

Finnish: läheinen ystävä

Portuguese: íntimo (pt) m.

intimates: women's underwear, sleepwear or lingerie

Verb

intimate (third-person singular simple present intimates, present participle intimating, simple past and past participle intimated)

1. (transitive) To suggest or disclose discreetly.

   He intimated that we should leave before the argument escalated.

Translations

To suggest or disclose discreetly

Dutch: suggereren (nl),laten doorschemeren (nl) Esperanto: intimi (eo) Finnish: antaa (fi) ,ymmärtää (fi)

Polish: sugerować (pl), zasugerować (pl) Swedish: antyda (sv)

Related terms

• intimacy
• intimation

External links

• intimate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• intimate in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

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Esperanto

Adverb

intimate

1. present adverbial passive participle of intimi

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Italian

Verb

intimate

1. second-person plural present indicative of intimare
2. second-person plural imperative of intimare
3. Feminine plural of intimato

Anagrams

• imitante

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Latin

Verb

intimāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of intimō