intimate
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
intimate¹
- /ˈɪn.tɪ.mət/
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Latin intimātus, the perfect passive participle of intimō (“to put or bring into, to impress, to make familiar”) (see -ate (adjective forming suffix)), from intimus (“inmost, innermost, most intimate”), superlative of intus (“within”), from in (“in”); see interior.
adjective more intimate · most intimate
- Closely acquainted; familiar. an intimate friend
- Personal; private. an intimate setting
- Pertaining to sex organs or underwear. Intimate apparel departments have separate sections for bras and panties; within those sections, our intimate apparel firm would have its bras displayed separately from its panties.
- Pertaining to sexual acts or a sexual relationship. She enjoyed some intimate time alone with her husband.
- Pertaining to details that require great familiarity to know. The candidate showed an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of politics.
- Very finely mixed. Black powder consists of an intimate mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur.
intimate²
- /ˈɪn.tɪ.mət/
Where it comes from
From a substantivization of the above adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.
noun intimates
- A very close friend. Only a couple of intimates had ever read his writing.
- Women's underwear, sleepwear, or lingerie, especially offered for sale in a store. You'll find bras and panties in the intimates section upstairs.
intimate³
- /ˈɪn.tɪ.meɪt/
Where it comes from
From Latin intimātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. Cognate with French intimer.
verb intimates · intimating · intimated
- To suggest or disclose (something) discreetly. He intimated that we should leave before the argument escalated.
- To notify. I will intimate you when the details are available.
