sincerity English · revision 1869

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=early 15th century|origins=la sincērus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sɪnˈsɛɹɪti/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sincerite]],^(Etymonline) from [[fro|sinceritie]]^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) and directly [[bor|la|sinceritās|t=purity, soundness, wholeness]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966) from [[m|la|sincērus|t=whole, clean; sound, genuine, pure]] (see [[sincere]]).^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Honesty, genuineness (early 15th century in Etymonline; 15th century in Merriam-Webster).^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Latin word meant purity or soundness,^(Etymonline) and in 16th-century English ''sincerity'' could mean freedom from adulteration or falsification, purity, correctness (1546–1653, now obsolete).^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) The sense of freedom from deceit or duplicity, honesty, straightforwardness is recorded from 1557,^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) and the genuineness of feelings from 1611.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) Johnson (1755) gives “honesty of intention; purity of mind” and “freedom from hypocrisy”.^(Johnson 1755) The plural, sincere feelings or actions, dates from 1840.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * early 15th century – honesty, genuineness (Etymonline).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1546 – purity, freedom from adulteration (obsolete).^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+ * 1557 – freedom from deceit; honesty.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+ * 1611 – genuineness of feelings.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+ * 1840 – in the plural, sincere feelings or acts.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The quality of being [[sincere]]; genuineness and [[honesty]], freedom from [[duplicity]] or [[hypocrisy]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(MWU 2024)

+ # A sincere feeling, or an expression of one (often plural).^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[supersincerity]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sincere]]

+ * [[candor]]

+ * [[honesty]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}