Reticence is a kind of reserve, wanting to avoid communication and not wanting to offer any more information than is necessary.
Reticence is a noun originating from the Latin word reticent, meaning “remaining silent.” Someone charged with a crime might be instructed by their lawyer to show reticence when being questioned by police. As a child, reticence saved you from getting in trouble when mom asked who ate all the cookies from the jar. Some women cultivate the trait later in life to avoid answering the “age question.”
