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Dictionary / honest

honest

/ˈɒn.ɪst/ (Received-Pronunciation)/ˈɔː.nɪst/ (Received-Pronunciation, dated)/ˈɑ.nɪst/ (Atlantic-Canada, General-American)syllables: hon·est
  • adjective
  • verb
  • adverb
  • from Old French

Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.

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1 All current definitions

Every sense of “honest” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

adjective

  1. Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.

    brutally honest

  2. True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.

    an honest account of events

  3. In good faith; without malice.

    an honest mistake

  4. Accurate.

    an honest scale

  5. Authentic; full.

    an honest day's work

  6. Earned or acquired in a fair manner.

    an honest dollar

  7. Open; frank.

    an honest countenance

Older & obsolete senses (2)
  1. obsoleteDecent; honourable; suitable; becoming.
  2. obsoleteChaste; faithful; virtuous.
Wiktionary: “honest” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

verb

No current senses for this part of speech — see older senses.

Older & obsolete senses (1)
  1. obsoleteTo adorn or grace; to honour; to make becoming, appropriate, or honourable.
Wiktionary: “honest” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

adverb

  1. colloquialHonestly; really.

    It wasn’t my fault, honest.

Wiktionary: “honest” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (7)
  1. adjectivenot disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent — also: honorable
  2. adjectivewithout dissimulation; frank
  3. adjectiveworthy of being depended on — also: dependable, reliable, true
  4. adjectivewithout pretensions
  5. adjectivemarked by truth
  6. adjectivenot forged — also: good
  7. adjectivegained or earned without cheating or stealing — also: fair
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: earnest, fair dinkum, forthright, downright, upfront, foursquare, frank, genuine, up-front, honest, legitimate, on the level

Antonyms: dishonest, hypocritical, insincere, shady

Wiktionary: “honest” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)honest
  2. Middle Englishhonest
  3. Old Frenchhoneste
  4. Latinhonestus
  5. Latinhonor

From Middle English honest, honeste (“honourable, appropriate, excellent”), from Old French honeste, from Latin honestus, from honor. For the verb, see Latin honestāre (“to clothe or adorn with honour”), and compare French honester. Displaced native Old English sōþfæst (literally “truth-firm”).

Wiktionary: “honest” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “honest”

honestlyhonestnesshonest-to-Godhonest-to-godshonest-to-goodnesshonest-to-Hannahhonestyoverhonestunderhonestunhonest

Phrases & compounds

God honest truthGod's honest truthhonest as the dayhonest brokerhonest commenthonest Indianhonest injunhonest Johnhonest mistakehonest to Godhonest to godshonest to goodnesshonest to Peteif I'm honestin my honest opinionkeep someone honestlocks only keep honest people honestmake an honest womanto be honestTukey's honest significance test

Related terms

truthveracity
Wiktionary: “honest” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “honest” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “honest” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Old French
Old French honeste
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin honor
Wiktionary: “honest” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Wiktionary’s etymology does not give a separate meaning for the earliest form of “honest”, so we don’t state one. The historical dictionary entry below shows how the word was understood in 1913.

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

honest a. [OE. honest, onest, OF. honeste, oneste, F. honn, L. honestus, fr. honos, honor, honor. See Honor.]

  1. Decent; honorable; suitable; becoming.
  2. Characterized by integrity or fairness and straightforwardness in conduct, thought, speech, etc.; upright; just; equitable; trustworthy; truthful; sincere; free from fraud, guile, or duplicity; not false; -- said of persons and acts, and of things to which a moral quality is imputed; as, an honest judge or merchant; an honest statement; an honest bargain; an honest business; an honest book; an honest confession.
  3. Open; frank; as, an honest countenance.
  4. Chaste; faithful; virtuous.

honest v. t. [L. honestare to clothe or adorn with honor: cf. F. honester. See Honest, a.]

  1. To adorn; to grace; to honor; to make becoming, appropriate, or honorable.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

adjectiveMeaning: Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.

brutally honest

We’re the most honest people you will ever come across.

adjectiveMeaning: True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.

an honest account of events

honest reporting

adjectiveMeaning: In good faith; without malice.

an honest mistake

adjectiveMeaning: Accurate.

an honest scale

adjectiveMeaning: Authentic; full.

an honest day's work

adjectiveMeaning: Earned or acquired in a fair manner.

an honest dollar

adjectiveMeaning: not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

honest lawyers

honest reporting

adjectiveMeaning: without dissimulation; frank

my honest opinion

adjectiveMeaning: worthy of being depended on

an honest working stiff

adjectiveMeaning: without pretensions

worked at an honest trade

good honest food

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “honest” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 9

Say it, then spell it

honest

/ˈɒn.ɪst/ · hon·est

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

honest

/ˈɒn.ɪst/ · hon·est · adjective, verb, adverb

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “honest” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (adjective) Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.
2. (adjective) True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.
3. (adjective) In good faith; without malice.
4. (adjective) Accurate.
5. (adjective) Authentic; full.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“brutally honest”

A. True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.
B. Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.
C. Earned or acquired in a fair manner.

Circle the meaning used.

“an honest account of events”

A. Accurate.
B. True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.
C. Open; frank.

Circle the meaning used.

“an honest mistake”

A. Open; frank.
B. Authentic; full.
C. In good faith; without malice.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “honest” come into English from?   A. Old French  B. Old Norse  C. Late Latin  D. Medieval Latin

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “honest” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

Read the etymology on the page. What does it tell you about the word’s earlier meaning?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “honest” to mean: Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.
Write a sentence using “honest” to mean: True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.
Write a sentence using “honest” to mean: In good faith; without malice.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — honest

Which meaning, sentence 1: B. Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.

Which meaning, sentence 2: B. True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.

Which meaning, sentence 3: C. In good faith; without malice.

Origin: A. Old French (Old French honeste)

Journey: English honest ← Middle English honest ← Old French honeste ← Latin honestus ← Latin honor

Some derivatives: honestly, honestness, honest-to-God, honest-to-gods, honest-to-goodness, honest-to-Hannah, honesty, overhonest

Etymology: From Middle English honest, honeste (“honourable, appropriate, excellent”), from Old French honeste, from Latin honestus, from honor. For the verb, see Latin honestāre (“to clothe or adorn with honour”), and compare French honester. Displaced native Old English sōþfæst (literally “truth-firm”).

Sources: Wiktionary “honest” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/honest#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/honest