What is the Latin word for intimate?

The usual Latin words for “intimate” are significō, dēclārō, interior; also coniungō, summa, intimus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“intimate” in Latin

significōto show, express, signify, point out; to portend, prognosticate; to call, name dēclārōto declare or announce; to indicate, reveal or testify; to show or prove interiorinner, interior; nearer; more secret, unknown coniungōto bind together, connect, join, unite, yoke together, juxtapose; to compose or form by uniting; to associate; to unite summatop, summit, highest point or place; the principal or main thing; sum, summary, total intimusinnermost, inmost (closest to the inside); deepest; the inmost, central or deepest part of homō̆human, person, man; male human being, man; term of address to male peers, especially by another man: man, fellow, mate,

The English word intimate itself goes back to Latin intus, through intimātus.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

intimate v.

significare (denotes the making any sign or hint by which one’s intention is conveyed more or less distinctly to another; thus vultu et verbis significare; weaker, therefore, than declarare, because more indefiinte; hoc... non solum significandum sed etiam declarandum arbitror; this is the best word): declarare (to declare). To intimate anybody’s wish to anybody by a letter, alicui voluntatem per litteras deferre.

intimate adj.

intimus (on terms of close intimacy; then as substantive = “intimate friend’); conjunctus (closely connected with). An intimate friendship, familiaritas intima, summa: intima or familiaris amicitia: an intimate friend, homo intimus: homo, quo intime utimur: amicus conjunctissimus: to be intimate with anybody, aliquo familiariter or intime uti; in familiaritate alicujus versari; cum aliquo vivere (Cic., Tusc., I, 33, 81): to be on the most intimate terms offriendship with anybody, arto or artissimo amicitiae vinculo cum aliquo conjunctum esse; aliquo familiariter or intime uti; in familiaritate alicujus versari; familiarissime uti aliquo; multa (ac jucundā) consuetudine cum aliquo conjunctum esse: the closest intimacy, artissima amicitiae vincula: to become very intimate with anybody, sibi conjungere aliquem familiari amicitiā: I am very intimate with anybody, magna est mihi cum aliquo familiaritas, also familiaritate magna, or arta, or intima, or maxima cum aliquo conjunctum esse; magno usu fatniliaritatis cum aliquo conjunctum esse; arta familiaritate complecti aliquem: we have been intimate friends for many years, inter nos vetus usus intercedit. To have an intimate knowledge of anything, alicujus rei perītum or gnarum esse; aliquid bene or penitus nosse: aliquid expertum esse, or alicujus rei non expertem esse (to have experienced anything): tamquam digitos suos unguesque nosse rem (Prov., Juv.). To have an intimate knowledge of anybody, aliquem penitus, bene or optime nosse: to have an intimate knowledge of the whole affair, omnem rem or omnia nosse.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for intimate?: The usual Latin words for “intimate” are significō, dēclārō, interior; also coniungō, summa, intimus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.