Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

honest

/ˈɑ.nɪst/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.73 in modern English

Syllables: hon-est
IPA: /ˈɑ.nɪst/

9

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.

adj

True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.

adj

In good faith; without malice.

adj

adj

Authentic; full.

adj

Earned or acquired in a fair manner.

adj

adj

Decent; honourable; suitable; becoming.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"brutally honest"
"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"
"an honest account of events"
"honest reporting"
"an honest mistake"

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”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: honest, honeste, honestus, sōþfæst

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɑ.nɪst/
British English: /ˈɒn.ɪst/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more honest (comparative) honester (comparative, nonstandard) most honest (superlative) honestest (nonstandard, superlative) honests (present, singular) honesting (participle, present) honested (participle, past) honested (past)

Derived Forms

honestly honestness honesty overhonest underhonest unhonest

Phrases

God honest truth God's honest truth honest as the day honest broker honest comment honest Indian honest injun honest John

Frequently Paired Words

truth veracity

Synonyms

truthful earnest fair dinkum forthright downright upfront foursquare frank genuine up-front honest legitimate

Antonyms

dishonest hypocritical insincere shady

Rhymes With

dishonest

Questions

How do you pronounce honest?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɑ.nɪst/.
What does honest mean?: Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.
Where does honest come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce honest

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “honest”.
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