honest — telling the truth; not lying or cheating
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: telling the truth; not lying or cheating
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɑːnɪst/
Example Sentences
- My honest review of the movie: I fell asleep three times!
- To be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing half the time.
- He's so honest that he returned a wallet with $500 in it.
honest
ADJECTIVE[/ˈɑːnɪst/]
telling the truth; not lying or cheating
She gave an honest answer about the broken vase, even though she knew she'd get scolded.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'honestus', originally meaning 'honored' or 'esteemed'. Over time, the semantic focus shifted from social esteem to personal integrity, developing the modern sense of 'truthful' and 'sincere'.
Breakdown
Latin honestus (honored, esteemed) + -us (masculine nominative suffix). The root relates to honor and dignity, eventually narrowing to denote moral integrity and truthfulness in character.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My honest review of the movie: I fell asleep three times!”
“To be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing half the time.”
“He's so honest that he returned a wallet with $500 in it.”
“An honest politician is like a unicorn - everyone talks about it, but nobody's actually seen one.”
📚Related Words
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