A person who respects others' privacy...(adjective)

[Mehrgan]

Hi there,

Is there any adjective for a person who respects people's privacy?

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't think of one. Someone who is generally respectful would probably extend that to other people's privacy.

 

[GoesStation]

How about circumspect?

 

[tedmc]

Discreet, a subtle form of respect.

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Mehrgan:

As soon as I read your post, something came to mind. I believe that in some circumstances, the adjective "tactful" might be appropriate.

Here is a wonderful explanation that I found a few years ago. (The emphases are mine.)


"Imagine you inadvertently enter a bathroom where a woman is standing [unclothed] under the shower. Politeness requires that you quickly close the door and say, 'Pardon, Madame!', whereas tact would be to quickly close the door and say: 'Pardon, Monsieur!' It is only in the second case, by pretending not to have seen enough even to make out the [gender] of the person under the shower, that one displays true tact."

-- London Review of Books, January 20, 2011.

 

[emsr2d2]

Of course, there's a risk that a woman would be offended by someone calling her "Monsieur" having seen her in the shower! She (or he) could be even more confused if you addressed her in French!

The only reasonable course of action would be to say "Sorry!" and leave.