confidentially

/kənfɪdɛnʃəli/
in a confidential manner

The CEO discussed the merger confidentially with the board members.

This means the discussion was kept secret and only shared with authorized personnel.


formal

In a way that is kept secret or private, only shared with authorized individuals

She spoke confidentially to her lawyer about the sensitive issue.

Here, 'confidentially' emphasizes the privacy of the conversation.

Often used in legal, business, or diplomatic contexts to denote secrecy.

Collocations

speak confidentiallyto talk in private, keeping the conversation secretconfidentially agreedan agreement reached in secret, not publicly disclosed

Pro Tip

Usage Tip

Confidentially is often used in formal writing and professional settings to emphasize secrecy.

Word Origin

From 'confidential' (relating to confidence or secrets) + '-ly' (adverb suffix), derived from Latin 'confidentia' (confidence).

Usage Notes

Used to describe the manner of keeping information secret or restricted to authorized persons.

Word Breakdown

confidential
relating to secrets or privacy
root
+
-ly
adverb suffix indicating manner
suffix
English Dictionary