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Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Word of the Day

taciturn

adjective

Reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little. Describes a person who is habitually silent or reluctant to engage in conversation.

Intermediate - Known to most educated speakers

Etymology

From Latin "taciturnus" (silent), from "tacitus" (silent, past participle of "tacere," to be silent). Related to "tacit" (unspoken but understood).

Examples in Use

  • 1.

    "The taciturn detective preferred to observe rather than question suspects."

  • 2.

    "Growing up with taciturn parents, she learned to read emotions through actions rather than words."

  • 3.

    "His taciturn demeanor was often mistaken for coldness, though he was quite warm."

Related Vocabulary

Synonyms

reticentreservedquietuncommunicative

Related Words

silentwithdrawnintrovertedterse

Fun Fact

Calvin Coolidge, known as "Silent Cal," was famously taciturn. Legend has it that a dinner guest told him she had bet she could get him to say more than two words, to which he replied, "You lose."

Word Game Tips

Letters: 8 letters (T, A, C, I, T, U, R, N)

Scrabble Value: 10 points

Tip: Look for common letter combinations like "TA" at the start of words.

Put Your Vocabulary to the Test!

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