sincere
pronunciation
How to pronounce sincere in British English:
UK [sɪnˈsɪə(r)]
How to pronounce sincere in American English:
US [sɪnˈsɪr]
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- Adjective:
- open and genuine; not deceitful
- characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
Word Origin
- sincere (adj.)
- 1530s, "pure, unmixed," from Middle French sincere (16c.), from Latin sincerus, of things, "whole, clean, pure, uninjured, unmixed," figuratively "sound, genuine, pure, true, candid, truthful," of uncertain origin. Ground sense seems to be "that which is not falsified." Meaning "free from pretense or falsehood" in English is from 1530s. There has been a temptation to see the first element as Latin sine "without." But there is no etymological justification for the common story that the word means "without wax" (*sin cerae), which is dismissed out of hand by OED and others, and the stories invented to justify that folk etymology are even less plausible. Watkins has it as originally "of one growth" (i.e. "not hybrid, unmixed"), from PIE *sm-ke-ro-, from *sem- "one" (see same) + root of crescere "to grow" (see crescent).
Synonym
Example
- 1. Before every shoot , ask questions with sincere interest .
- 2. Only spontaneous love flowing with sincere generosity and self-abnegation can fertilize the soul of others .
- 3. Be sincere in your apology .
- 4. He expressed his ' sincere condolences ' to mr. shaikh 's family and friends .
- 5. Like many people with autism , I have difficulty discerning who is sincere and who 's not .