Etymology

honest

hon·est
H4O1N1E1S1T1

Today it means: Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright. Full definition →

Middle English honest ← Old French honeste ← Latin honestus
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The story

  1. Old English · inherited fromsōþfæst
  2. Latin · derived fromhonestus
  3. Old French · derived fromhoneste
  4. Middle English · inherited fromhonest
  5. English todayhonest

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”).

Words from the same roots

Old Frenchhoneste all →

honesty

Old Englishsōþfæst all →

soothfast

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.