intimacy

American  

[in-tuh-muh-see] / ˈɪn tə mə si /

noun

plural

intimacies

1. the state of being intimate.

2. a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group.

   Synonyms:

   affection, warmth, familiarity, closeness

3. a close association with or detailed knowledge or deep understanding of a place, subject, period of history, etc..

   an intimacy with Japan.

4. an act or expression serving as a token of familiarity, affection, or the like.

   to allow the intimacy of using first names.

5. an amorously familiar act; liberty.

6. sexual intercourse.

7. the quality of being comfortable, warm, or familiar.

   the intimacy of the room.

8. privacy, especially as suitable to the telling of a secret.

   in the intimacy of his studio.

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intimacy British  

/ ˈɪntɪməsɪ /

noun

1. close or warm friendship or understanding; personal relationship

2. euphemistic (often plural) sexual relations

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Etymology

Origin of intimacy

First recorded in 1635–45; intim(ate) ¹ + -acy

Explanation

Intimacy is closeness with another person, like the intimacy that develops between friends as you tell one another your life stories and all your secrets and dreams for the future. The noun intimacy comes from the Latin word intimare, which means “impress,” or “make familiar,” which comes from the Latin intimus, meaning “inmost.” Intimacy is a close, family-like connection. There is another kind of intimacy — physical intimacy, which comes from having a sexual relationship, which, one hopes, fosters the other kind of intimacy as well.

Example Sentences

Burden internalized this pattern, of foregrounding the importance of the paterfamilias at the expense of real intimacy, of keeping up appearances despite the private pain.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

But her voice—slightly nasal, with conversational phrasing and clipped inflections informed by hip-hop—is instantly identifiable, and conveys intelligence and intimacy while sounding perfectly natural in glittery electronic productions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

"It's awful and you feel naked and open to attack because you worry about being rejected and maybe sometimes that will happen but when it doesn't that's where intimacy and close relationships start to grow."

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

He offered both Fanning and Smith the opportunity to work with an intimacy coordinator, but neither felt it was necessary.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

Their clotheslines are strung with underpants, nighties, socks, a display of soiled intimacy, which they have washed and rinsed, plunging their hands into the gray curdled water.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• affection
• confidence
• confidentiality
• familiarity
• friendship
• understanding