confidentiality

American  

[kahn-fi-den-shee-al-i-tee] / ˌkɑn fɪˌdɛn ʃiˈæl ɪ ti /

noun

• confidentialities
  plural

1. the quality or fact of being confidential, private, or restricted to certain parties, usually by agreement or formal requirement.

2. something confidential or private; confidence.

3. a rule or expectation within a particular field of activity that the restriction of private information is to be respected.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• non-confidentiality
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• confidentialities
  plural

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Explanation

Confidentiality is what you observe when you keep things secret. If you happen to be a mafia boss with lots of dark secrets, you'll want to be sure you can count on complete confidentiality from your wife and family. Confidentiality is important not just to people involved in illegal activities. You expect your close friends and family to keep your secrets — you count on their confidentiality. Confidentiality might also apply to your job — if your company is working on a new computer game, confidentiality is essential to prevent leaks to your competitors. The word confidentiality includes the Latin root fides, which means "faith," or "trust."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

confidentiality confidentialities

It also broadly forbids these companies from misleading or deceiving customers and prohibits confidentiality agreements.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

The document also contains a confidentiality clause barring Betancourt’s company from disclosing the “existence and terms” of the U.S. government agreement.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026

Although they declined to get into specifics, citing patient confidentiality, they said at league meetings in Manhattan that proper protocols were applied and backed the Eagles’ medical staff.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

But exceptions remain, including provisions relating to a first wife's infertility or illness, which women's rights groups have criticised on grounds of privacy and medical confidentiality.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

It’s safe with Kamal, he can’t ever tell anyone because of patient confidentiality.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

The lawyers said her role was to "ensure the club's established and robust safeguarding structures, procedures and necessary confidentialities were followed and respected throughout".

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

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Related Words

• confidence
• isolation
• mystery
• reticence
• silence
• solitude

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