Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female confidant: A woman to whom private matters or secrets are confided. This word specifically denotes a trusted female friend or associate who is entrusted with personal and confidential information.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • For years, her assistant was not just an employee but also her closest confidante.
  • She needed a confidante to share her worries about the future.
  • The queen's lady-in-waiting served as her loyal confidante.

Advanced Usage

• The term confidante inherently implies a relationship of great trust and intimacy. It is often used in literary, formal, or historical contexts to describe a woman in a privileged, trusted position.
  • In the novel, the heroine's confidante is the only person who knows her true identity.

Variants and Related Words

• Confidant (noun): A person, typically male or gender-neutral, entrusted with secrets.
• Confide (verb): To tell someone a secret or private matter while trusting them not to repeat it.
• Confidence (noun): The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone; also, the telling of private matters.

Synonyms

• Confidant: A trusted person to whom secrets are revealed (gender-neutral or male).
• Intimate: A very close friend.
• Bosom friend: A very close and trusted friend (somewhat literary).

Notes on Meaning

• Confidante is the specifically feminine form of confidant. While "confidant" can be used for any gender, "confidante" explicitly indicates the person is a woman.
• The role of a confidante is passive (receiving confidences) but active in providing empathy, advice, and discretion.

Noun

1. a female confidant