candid

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈkæn.dɪd/ See IPA manual

Freq #18217

Meanings

1

adj
Honest and open, saying what you really think even when it is uncomfortable.

She gave a candid account of her mistakes during the interview.
2

adj
(of a photo) Taken naturally, without the subject posing.

My favourite picture is a candid shot of the children laughing.
3

noun
A natural, unposed photograph.

His portraits looked stiff, but his candids showed real life.
4

adj
Fair and free from prejudice.

He longed for one truly candid judgement of his work.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · honest and open, saying... frank open unreserved forthright

4 adj · fair and free from prejudice. impartial disinterested dispassionate fair-minded

Word family

Derived forms candiditycandidly candidnesssupercandiduncandid

Simplified etymology

Candid entered English in the early 17th century from Latin candidus, “white.” Its senses developed through “pure or innocent,” “unbiased,” and “free from malice” before reaching the modern meaning “frank” or “open.”

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)kend-der. Proto-Italic *kandēō Latin candeō Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-der. Latin -idus Latin candidusbor. English candid Borrowed from Latin candidus (“white”).

*(s)kend- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Photography & Images

External links

# candid

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkæn.dɪd/
**Frequency rank:** 18217

## Meanings
1. Honest and open, saying what you really think even when it is uncomfortable.
2. (of a photo) Taken naturally, without the subject posing.
3. A natural, unposed photograph.
4. Fair and free from prejudice.

## Examples
- She gave a candid account of her mistakes during the interview.
- My favourite picture is a candid shot of the children laughing.
- His portraits looked stiff, but his candids showed real life.
- He longed for one truly candid judgement of his work.

## Derived Forms
- candidity
- candidly
- candidness
- supercandid
- uncandid

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)kend-

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)kend-der. Proto-Italic *kandēō Latin candeō Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-der. Latin -idus Latin candidusbor. English candid Borrowed from Latin candidus (“white”).

## AI Etymology
Candid is borrowed from Latin candidus (“white”). In present-day use, it can mean honest and open, saying what you really think even when it is uncomfortable, or (of a photo) Taken naturally, without the subject posing. Derived formations include candidity, candidly, candidness, supercandid, uncandid.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Photography & Images

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