From Latin intimare, from intimus ("inmost, innermost, most intimate"), superlative of intus ("within"), from in ("in"); see interior.

• enPR: ĭn'tĭmət, IPA: /ˈɪn.tɪ.mət/
• enPR: ĭn'tĭmāt, IPA: /ˈɪn.tɪ.meɪt/

intimate

1. Closely acquainted; familiar.

   an intimate friend

   He and his sister deeply valued their intimate relationship as they didn't have much else to live for.

2. Of or involved in a sexual relationship.

   She enjoyed some intimate time alone with her husband.

3. Personal; private.

   an intimate setting

4. Pertaining to details that require great familiarity to know

   The candidate showed an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of politics.

5. Very finely mixed.

   Black powder consists of an intimate mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur.

• French: intime
• German: vertraut, innig
• Italian: stretto, intimo
• Portuguese: íntimo
• Russian: бли́зкий
• Spanish: íntimo

• French: intime
• German: intim
• Italian: intimo
• Portuguese: íntimo
• Russian: инти́мный

• Italian: privato, proprio, personale
• Portuguese: íntimo, pessoal
• Russian: ли́чный
• Spanish: íntimo

intimate (plural intimates)

1. A very close friend.

   Synonyms: bosom buddy, bosom friend, cater-cousin

   Only a couple of intimates had ever read his writing.

2. (in the plural intimates) Women's underwear, sleepwear, or lingerie, especially offered for sale in a store.

   Synonyms: intimate apparel

   You'll find bras and panties in the intimates section upstairs.

• Italian: amico per la pelle
• Portuguese: íntimo
• Russian: близкий друг

• Italian: biancheria intima

intimate (intimates, present participle intimating; simple past and past participle intimated)

1. (ambitransitive) To suggest or disclose (something) discreetly.

   He intimated that we should leave before the argument escalated.

   • 1878, Henry James, An International Episode‎:

     One of our friends, nevertheless—the younger one—intimated that he felt a disposition to interrupt a few of these soft familiarities; but his companion observed, pertinently enough, that he had better be careful.

2. (transitive, India) To notify.

   I will intimate you when the details are available.

• German: vorsichtig andeuten
• Russian: намекать

• intimacy
• intimation