taciturnity

From Middle English taciturnite, or alternatively from taciturn +‎ -ity; both ultimately from Latin taciturnitās.

taciturnity (countable and uncountable, plural taciturnities)

1. The trait of being taciturn.
   • 1835, William Gilmore Simms, The Partisan, Harper, Chapter VI, page 69:

     Humphries broke out more freely into speech than he had done before, for his usual characteristic was that of taciturnity.

   • 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 78:

     Gernois’ cordiality was short-lived. No sooner had they ridden out of sight of Captain Gerard and his men than he lapsed once more into his accustomed taciturnity.

   • 1951 February, Michael Robbins, “Sir Walter Scott and Two Early Railway Schemes”, in Railway Magazine, page 90:

     " […] and as Mr. H., with his long purse and his willingness to receive hints, is no bad card in the game, he has been brought up to Abbotsford for a week; his taciturnity has long ago fled, and he is one of the most loquacious Borderers going. […] "

   • 2021 May 3, Adam Liptak, “Justice Clarence Thomas, Long Silent, Has Turned Talkative”, in The New York Times:

     Once he is back on the bench, will Justice Thomas revert to his usual taciturnity?

2. (law, Scotland) Failure to assert a legal right in a way that implies that it is being given up.