honest en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈɔː.nɪst/ (Received-Pronunciation, dated)
- /ɒn.ə.st/ (New-Zealand)
- /ˈɑ.nɪst/ (Atlantic-Canada, General-American)
- /ˈɔn.əst/ (Australia)
- [ˈɔ̟n.ə.st] (New-Zealand)
- /ˈɑ.nəst/ (Atlantic-Canada, General-American)
- (US) audio
- /ˈɔn.ɪst/ (Australia)
- /ˈɒn.ɪst/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
- /ˈɒn.ɪst/ (Received-Pronunciation)
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”).
Meanings
-
(of a person or institution) Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.
We’re the most honest people you will ever come across.
A true and honest physician is excused for leaving his patient, when he finds the disease grown desperate
c. 1680, William Temple, Of Popular Discontents:brutally honest
-
(of a statement) True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.
an honest account of events
honest reporting
-
In good faith; without malice.
an honest mistake
-
(of a measurement device) Accurate.
an honest scale
-
Authentic; full.
an honest day's work
-
Earned or acquired in a fair manner.
an honest dollar
-
Open; frank.
an honest countenance
-
(obsolete) Decent; honourable; suitable; becoming.
Behold what honest clothes you send forth to bleaching!
c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:[…] Vpon the verge of the Riuer there are fiue houſes, wherein liue the honeſter ſort of people, as Farmers in England, and they keepe continuall centinell for the townes ſecuritie.
1624, William Simons, “The Gouernment Returned againe to Sir Thomas Gates, 1611”, in Iohn [i.e., John] Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, →OCLC, 4th booke, page 111:[T]here are Wolf-Whelps in Palaces, and Governments, as well as in Cottages, and Forreſts. […] They go out however, as there is Occaſion, and Hunt and Growle for Company; but at the ſame time, they give the Sign out of their Maſters hand, hold Intelligence with the Enemy; and Make uſe of their Power and Credit to Worry Honeſter Men them Themſelves.
1692, Roger L’Estrange, “[The Fables of Æsop, &c.] Fab[le] CLV. A Shepherd and a Wolves Whelp [Reflexion].”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC, page 140:
-
(obsolete) Chaste; faithful; virtuous.
Wives may be merry, and yet honest too.
c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| honester | Degree=Cmp | nonstandard | lexicographic |
| more honest | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most honest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| honestest | Degree=Sup | nonstandard | lexicographic |
Antonyms
insincere · hypocritical · shady · dishonest
Deriveds
honesty · honest broker · to be honest · God honest truth · honestness · honest mistake · honest to gods · honest-to-God · honest injun · honest Indian · honest-to-Hannah · make an honest woman · honest to Pete · unhonest · locks only keep honest people honest · honest to God · keep someone honest · honest John · honestly · honest to goodness · honest as the day · honest-to-gods · honest-to-goodness · turn an honest penny · God's honest truth · Tukey's honest significance test · underhonest · overhonest · if I'm honest · honest comment · in my honest opinion
Descendants
Hypernyms
honorable · scrupulous · dependable · responsible · reliable · ethical · righteous · principled
Hyponyms
parrhesiastic · bona fide · plain · open · sincere · candid · unreserved
Relateds
Synonyms
fair dinkum · veridical · frank · straight · up-front · downright · up front · legitimate · straight dinkum · on the level · trustworthy · truthful · truthful · genuine · true · square · honest · foursquare · on the up-and-up · straightforward · earnest · upfront · forthright · veracious
Translations (140)
uk правди́вий (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ru правди́вый (of a statement: true, fair, unbiased) · bg и́стински (authentic, full) · ro onest (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · pl uczciwy (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · eu zintzo (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · cy gonest (of a statement: true, fair, unbiased) · ja 誠実 (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ru и́скренний (in good faith, without malice) · ca honest (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fo ærligur (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · es honesto (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · bg почтен (earned or acquired in a fair manner) · he כנה (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · acw صادق (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · vo snatik (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · be шчы́ры (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sq i ndershëm (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · kk ақ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · uk че́сний (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · am እውነተኛ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ga macánta (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fi rehellinen (authentic, full) · mi tōtika (of a measurement device: accurate) · fa امین (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ru и́скренний (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · hi ईमानदार (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · pox radliťĕ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · yue 誠實 /诚实 (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sk poctivý (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · la honestus (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sv ärlig (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sh искрен (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · cmn 誠實 /诚实 (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · gl honesto (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sh честит (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · gd onarach (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · am ሐቀኛ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · pl szczery (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · so daacad (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · yi ערלעך (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · is heiðarlegur (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · mi pono (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · gd ceart (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · et aus (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · nrf honnête (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ru по́длинный (authentic, full) · hu becsületes (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fi rehellinen (of a measurement device: accurate) · ang sōþfæst (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · bg правди́в (of a statement: true, fair, unbiased) · es sincero (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ka პატიოსანი (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · be сумле́нны (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · mi matatika (of a statement: true, fair, unbiased) · de aufrichtig (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · bg правди́в (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · jv jujur (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ml സത്യസന്ധമായ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · tg бошараф (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · yue 老實 /老实 (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · is réttsýnn (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · uk щи́рий (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · lo ມີຄວາມຊື່ສັດ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ceb matinod-anon (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fi rehellinen (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ml സത്യസന്ധമായ (of a statement: true, fair, unbiased) · ro cinstit (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · mr प्रामाणिक (of a statement: true, fair, unbiased) · nah melahuac (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · nn ærleg (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · pt honesto (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · hy ազնիվ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · mk искрен (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · el τίμιος (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · pt sincero (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · oc sincèr (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · tr dürüst (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · nb ærlig (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fi rehellinen (earned or acquired in a fair manner) · be праўдзі́вы (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · el έντιμος (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ko 정직하다 (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · de ehrlich (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sh čestit (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · mba buotan (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ar صَادِق (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · tl matapat (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sh поштен (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · izh vernoi (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ml സത്യസന്ധൻ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · mi tapatahi (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · hrx eherlich (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · izh soora (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sl pošten (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sh iskren (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · bg и́скрен (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · vi thành thật (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · iu killijijuk (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · is sómakær (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · da ærlig (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · mi tinihangakore (in good faith, without malice) · haw pono (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · hi सच्चा (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sl iskren (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ar نَزِيه (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · nb oppriktig (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · cs poctivý (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · cy gonest (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ca sincer (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fr honnête (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sh pošten (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · eo honesta (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ja 正直 (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · it onesto (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · id jujur (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · kk адал (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fi rehellinen (in good faith, without malice) · th ซื่อสัตย์ (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fi rehellinen (of a statement: true, fair, unbiased) · bg и́скрен (in good faith, without malice) · is ráðvandur (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · sa ऋजु (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ru че́стный (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · hu őszinte (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · is heiðarlega fenginn (earned or acquired in a fair manner) · cy gonest (in good faith, without malice) · mr प्रामाणिक (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · oc onèst (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · tg бовиҷдон (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · bg че́стен (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · fa صادق (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · nl eerlijk (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · cmn 老實 /老实 (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · cmn 正直 (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · io honesta (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ta நேர்மையான (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · gd ionraic (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ru правди́вый (scrupulous with regard to telling the truth) · ru и́стинный (authentic, full)