Origin: Latin suffix -al
Confidential has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
entrusted with private information and the confidence of another
"a confidential secretary"
(of information) given in confidence or in secret
"this arrangement must be kept confidential"
"their secret communications"
denoting confidence or intimacy
"a confidential approach"
"in confidential tone of voice"
the level of official classification for documents next above restricted and below secret; available only to persons authorized to see documents so classified
"The manager signed the confidential document, ensuring it remained accessible only to those holding the proper clearance."
Kept, or meant to be kept, secret within a certain circle of persons; not intended to be known publicly
"The lawyer reminded the client that everything discussed in her office remains confidential and will never be shared outside our legal team."
In plain English: Confidential means something that is meant to be kept secret and shared only with specific people.
"The doctor asked me to keep my medical records confidential."
Usage: Use confidential to describe information that must remain secret between specific people, such as private conversations or classified documents. Do not use it for general privacy matters that anyone can know but simply choose not to share.
The word confidential comes from the Latin term confidentia, which originally referred to trust or confidence rather than secrecy. It entered English through French, where it took on its modern sense of being intended for private communication between trusted parties.