It means being doubtful about a person's reliability. If we go by the prefix, mistrust would mean 'wrong to trust' someone. ... When you know someone is being dishonest, you would distrust them. Simply put, distrustful is complete lack of trust on someone (prefix dis).

What is the root word of mistrusting?

mistrust (n.) "lack of confidence, suspicion," late 14c., from mis- (1) "bad, wrong" + trust (n.). ... "doubt, regard with jealousy or suspicion," late 14c., mistrusten, from mis- (1) "badly, wrongly" + trust (v.).

What is the base for mistrusting?

Distrust, they say, implies that there is a strong reason for the lack of trust—that it's based on something that a person has already done. Mistrust, on the other hand, is said to be based on suspicion, as opposed to having a basis in someone's past actions.