sinceritas

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [sɪŋˈkeː.rɪ.taːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [sin̠ʲˈt͡ʃɛː.ri.tas]^[1]

Forms

sincēritās f (genitive sincēritātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sincerus (“clean, pure, whole”) + -tās.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Phaedrus says honesty usually leads to ruin.^[2] Valerius Maximus speaks of a man sure of his own integrity, and Köbler dates his work to the 1st century AD.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It meant physical soundness or wholeness, and purity, as Pliny's clean vessels for oil or the purity of salt pans.^[2][4] Valerius Maximus and Palladius use it of soundness of body and head.^[5][6] Lewis & Short note it is not found before the Augustan age.^[5] Figuratively it meant straightforwardness, integrity and honesty, as in Seneca and Gellius.^[2][4]

In Christian and medieval Latin it was ritual or spiritual purity.^[7][1] English sincerity is recorded in the early 15th century.^[8]

Timeline

• 1st century AD – Phaedrus and Valerius Maximus use it of honesty.^[2][3]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of purity.^[2][3]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius uses it of integrity.^[4][3]
• early 15th century – English sincerity is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. Soundness, wholeness; purity.^[2][5]
2. Integrity, honesty, sincerity.^[2][1]
3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Moral or ritual purity.^[7][1]

Related words

• sincērus
• English sincerity

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com