RETICENT

            This word means “reluctant to speak,” but I hear it more and more often used as a synonym for the more general term, “reluctant.”

            “Reticent” is related to the word “tacit,” which means “silent.” A good synonym is “taciturn,” which has the same root.

            “George was reticent about his many accomplishments in the field of nuclear engineering,” is a correct use of the word. “George was reticent to drive any vehicle with a stick-shift,” is not.