honesty English · revision 10620

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1330|origins=fro honesté|origins=la honestas}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈɒn.ɪ.sti/, US /ˈɑː.nɪ.sti/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|honesté|t=respectability, decency, honourable action]] (12th century),^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from Latin honestās, honour, reputation, integrity,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from honestus, honourable (see [[honest]]).^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Honour or respect conferred: about 1330 in the OED;^(OED 1989) splendour, honour, elegance, the early 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) In English the word first had more to do with honour than with being honest.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Moral excellence in a wide sense is from 1340,^(OED 1989) decency and decorum from 1375,^(OED 1989) and a woman's chastity from about 1385,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) all now obsolete or archaic.^(OED 1989)^(AHD) Uprightness and virtue in general is from about 1400 in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) and narrowed later to truthfulness and integrity, the modern sense.^(NODE 1998)^(AHD) The plant honesty is from 1597 in the Historical Thesaurus,^(HTOED) named for its translucent seed pods, which symbolize a lack of deceit.^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1330 – honour conferred.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1340 – moral excellence.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1385 – chastity.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – uprightness.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1597 – the plant.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The quality of being [[honest]]; [[integrity]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Truthfulness, [[sincerity]] or fairness.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Chastity or virtue.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A European plant, ''Lunaria annua'', grown for its purple flowers and flat, silvery seed pods.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[overhonesty]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[honest]]

+ * [[honor]]

+ * [[honorable]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}