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intimate

 - 6 dictionary results

in⋅ti⋅mate

1  [in-tuh-mit]
Use intimate in a Sentence
–adjective
1. associated in close personal relations: an intimate friend.
2. characterized by or involving warm friendship or a personally close or familiar association or feeling: an intimate greeting.
3. very private; closely personal: one's intimate affairs.
4. characterized by or suggesting privacy or intimacy; warmly cozy: an intimate little café.
5. (of an association, knowledge, understanding, etc.) arising from close personal connection or familiar experience.
6. engaged in or characterized by sexual relations.
7. (of clothing) worn next to the skin, under street or outer garments: intimate apparel.
8. detailed; deep: a more intimate analysis.
9. showing a close union or combination of particles or elements: an intimate mixture.
10. inmost; deep within.
11. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the inmost or essential nature; intrinsic: the intimate structure of an organism.
12. of, pertaining to, or existing in the inmost depths of the mind: intimate beliefs.
–noun
13. an intimate friend or associate, esp. a confidant.
Origin:
1600–10; < L intim(us) a close friend (n. use of the adj.; see intima ) + -ate 1

Related forms:
in⋅ti⋅mate⋅ly, adverb
in⋅ti⋅mate⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. dear. See familiar. 3. privy, secret. 8. exacting, thorough. 13. crony.

in⋅ti⋅mate

2  [in-tuh-meyt]
–verb (used with object), -mat⋅ed, -mat⋅ing.
1. to indicate or make known indirectly; hint; imply; suggest.
2. Archaic. to make known; announce.
Origin:
1530–40; < LL intimātus, ptp. of intimāre to impress (upon), make known, equiv. to intim(us) inmost (see intima ) + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
in⋅ti⋅mat⋅er, noun
in⋅ti⋅ma⋅tion, noun

Synonyms:
1. See hint.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To intimate
in·ti·mate 1   (ĭn'tə-mĭt)   
adj.  

  1. Marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity.

  2. Relating to or indicative of one's deepest nature: intimate prayers.

  3. Essential; innermost: the intimate structure of matter.

  4. Marked by informality and privacy: an intimate nightclub.

  5. Very personal; private: an intimate letter.

  6. Of or involved in a sexual relationship.

n.  A close friend or confidant.

[Latin intimātus, past participle of intimāre, to make familiar with; see intimate2.]
in'ti·mate·ly adv., in'ti·mate·ness n.
in·ti·mate 2   (ĭn'tə-māt')   
tr.v.   in·ti·mat·ed, in·ti·mat·ing, in·ti·mates

  1. To make known subtly and indirectly; hint. See Synonyms at suggest.

  2. To announce; proclaim.


[Latin intimāre, intimāt-, to make known, from intimus, innermost; see en in Indo-European roots.]
in'ti·mat'er n., in'ti·ma'tion n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

intimate  (adj.)
1632, "closely acquainted, very familiar," from L.L. intimatus, pp. of intimare "make known, announce, impress," from L. intimus "inmost" (adj.), "close friend" (n.), superl. of in "in." Used euphemistically of women's underwear from 1904.

intimate  (v.)
1538, back-formation from intimation "action of making known" (1442), from M.Fr. intimation (1394), from L.L. intimationem (nom. intimatio) "an announcement" (in M.L. "a judicial notification"), from intimare. Intimacy is from 1641; as a euphemism for "illicit sexual intercourse" it dates from 1676.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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