Tacit
/ˈtæs.ɪt/noun
Understood or implied without being openly stated.
Did you know?Tacit ultimately comes from Latin tacere, “to be silent,” the same root behind words tied to silence and hush, making it a classic example of meaning hidden in plain sight.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tak-
“to be silent or quiet”
Latin
LA
tacere
“to be silent, keep quiet”
Latin
LA
tacitus
“silent, unspoken, implied”
Middle English
ME
tacit
“silent; understood without being spoken”
Modern English
EN
tacit
“implied or understood without being directly expressed”