Standard Lemma guide

timidity

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /tɪˈmɪdɪti/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪdɪti
  • CMU ARPABET: T AH0 M IH1 D AH0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state of being timid; shyness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

fearfulness in venturing into new and unknown places or activities

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: timorousness

Antonyms: boldness

Broader terms: fearfulness

Narrower terms: faintheartedness, faintness

3

noun

Meaning 3

fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: timidness, timorousness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fear, fearfulness, fright

Narrower terms: cold feet, shyness, diffidence, self-doubt, self-distrust

History

Etymology

From timid + -ity, from Middle French timidité, from Latin timiditātem.