honest

B1 Topic:Describing People

US /ˈɑ.nɪst/ UK /ˈɒn.ɪst/ See IPA manual

Freq #959

Meanings

1

adj
Always telling the truth and not cheating or lying.

She is an honest person who never tells lies.
2

adj
Truthful and sincere; saying what you really think.

He gave an honest account of what happened.
3

adj
Earned in a fair way, without cheating or stealing.

They make an honest living from their small farm.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · always telling the truth... truthful

3 adj · earned in a fair way,... fair

More earnest forthright foursquare frank genuine legitimate square straight straightforward true trustworthy

Opposites

dishonest hypocritical insincere shady

Word family

Derived forms honest-to-godhonest-to-godshonest-to-goodnesshonest-to-hannahhonestly honestness honestyoverhonestunderhonestunhonest

Related forms truth veracity

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Proverbs (1)

See all

Honor lies in honest toil

Simplified etymology

Honest entered English in the Middle English period and ultimately derives from Latin honor, the source also of honour and honesty.

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”).

honest Middle English honeste Middle English honestus Latin sōþfæst Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing People

External links

# honest

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈɑ.nɪst/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɒn.ɪst/
**Frequency rank:** 959

## Meanings
1. Always telling the truth and not cheating or lying.
2. Truthful and sincere; saying what you really think.
3. Earned in a fair way, without cheating or stealing.

## Examples
- She is an honest person who never tells lies.
- He gave an honest account of what happened.
- They make an honest living from their small farm.

## Synonyms
- earnest
- forthright
- foursquare
- frank
- genuine
- legitimate
- square
- straight
- straightforward
- true
- trustworthy
- truthful

## Antonyms
- dishonest
- hypocritical
- insincere
- shady

## Derived Forms
- honest-to-god
- honest-to-gods
- honest-to-goodness
- honest-to-hannah
- honestly
- honestness
- honesty
- overhonest
- underhonest
- unhonest

## Related Forms
- truth
- veracity

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: honest
- Root: honeste
- Root: honestus
- Root: sōþfæst

## 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”).

## AI Etymology
Honest comes 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”). In current use, the main senses are “Always telling the truth and not cheating or lying” and “Truthful and sincere; saying what you really think”.

## Topics
- Describing People

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