intimate
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.having a very close and friendly relationship with someone.
adj.characterised by a close personal relationship or deep familiarity.
Simple“They have been intimate friends since they were children in primary school.”
In context“The biography provides an intimate look at the artist's life, drawing on letters that had never been published before.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.private and personal, or describing a place that is quiet and comfortable for a small group.
adj.pertaining to one's innermost feelings or describing a setting conducive to privacy and close rapport.
Simple“The restaurant was small and intimate, perfect for a quiet conversation.”
In context“The singer performed an intimate acoustic set for a small group of fans in a converted warehouse.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.involved in a sexual relationship.
adj.involved in or related to a sexual relationship; often used as a polite or formal euphemism.
Simple“The couple admitted they were in an intimate relationship.”
In context“The court heard evidence regarding their intimate history to determine the nature of their long-term partnership.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to suggest something in an indirect way.
v.to communicate or state something in an indirect or subtle manner. Often used with a 'that' clause.
Simple“He intimated that he might be looking for a new job soon.”
In context“The minister intimated that a change in policy was forthcoming, though he refused to provide specific details to the press.”
UsageThe verb is pronounced differently than the adjective, ending with a 'long A' sound like 'late'.
- 05 C2 Proficiency
n.a very close friend that you know extremely well.
n.a person with whom one has a particularly close or private relationship.
Simple“Only his closest intimates knew about his plans to retire early.”
In context“The monarch rarely discussed matters of state with anyone outside a tiny circle of trusted intimates.”
Antonyms
“For a singer who sang all across the world, it will be an intimate farewell in the place she called home.”
“Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian The nature of the work is immediately intimate – his PA, says Keron, is the person he sees at the start and end of each day.”
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.
From a substantivization of the above adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.
From Latin intimātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. Cognate with French intimer.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.