the state of being reticent, or reserved, especially with regard to speaking freely; restraint: His natural reticence seemed to disappear under the influence of alcohol.
c.1600, from Fr. réticence, from L. reticentia "silence," from reticere "keep silent," from re-, intensive prefix, + tacere "be silent" (see tact). "Not in common use until after 1830" [OED].