Fiducial
/fɪˈdjuːʃəl/noun
Serving as a standard of reference or trust in measurement, science, or law.
Did you know?Fiducial comes from Latin fiducia, meaning “trust” or “confidence,” from the same root that gave us faith and fidelity—proof that some of the most technical words are built on ancient language of belief.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰeydh-
“to trust, persuade, or confide”
Latin
Latin
fidus
“faithful, trustworthy”
Latin
Latin
fiducia
“trust, confidence”
Late Latin
Latin
fiducialis
“of trust; based on confidence”
14th–17th Century
English
fiducial
“trust-based, pertaining to confidence or reliance”
Modern English
English
fiducial
“serving as a standard of reference or measurement”
Explore more surprising origins