honest
pronunciation
How to pronounce honest in British English:
UK [ˈɒnɪst]
How to pronounce honest in American English:
US [ˈɑːnɪst]
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- Adjective:
- not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent
- without dissimulation; frank
- worthy of being depended on
- free from guile
- without pretensions
- habitually speaking the truth
- marked by truth
Word Origin
- honest
- honest: [13] Honest comes via Old French honeste from Latin honestus, a derivative of honōs, from which English gets honour. The new Latin noun formed from honestus was *honestitās, literally ‘honestness’, recorded only in the later contracted form honestās. From it English acquired honesty [14], whose application to plants of the genus Lunaria was inspired by their nearly transparent seed-pods.=> honour
- honest (adj.)
- c. 1300, "respectable, decent, of neat appearance," also "free from fraud," from Old French honeste (12c.; Modern French honnête), from Latin honestus "honorable, respected, regarded with honor," figuratively "deserving honor, honorable, respectable," from honos (see honor (n.)). Main modern sense of "dealing fairly, truthful" is c. 1400, as is sense of "virtuous." Phrase to make an honest woman of "marry a woman after seduction" is from 1620s.
Antonym
Example
- 1. Be honest but not intentionally hurtful .
- 2. He said keep everything very simple and straightforward : be honest to yourself .
- 3. A little bit of both , to be honest .
- 4. An honest apology makes me feel surprisingly warm towards you .
- 5. Afghanistan does have some honest , competent technocrats .