probity

prob·i·ty
P3R1O1B3I1T1Y4
UK/ˈpɹəʊbɪti/US/ˈpɹoʊbəti/US[-ɾi]

noun

Integrity, especially of the quality of having strong moral principles; decency and honesty.

UncommonScrabble 14

Meanings

nounprobity (countable and uncountable, plural probities)

plural probities

  1. countableuncountableIntegrity, especially of the quality of having strong moral principles; decency and honesty.

    […] they can but bend our hearts to the love of probity and true honour […]

    1748, [David Hume], Philosophical Essays Concerning Human Understanding, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC
    3 more examples

    [W]hen the interests or reputation of their own nation come into collision with those of another, they go to the opposite extreme, and forget their usual probity and candour, in the indulgence of spleen, and an illiberal spirit of ridicule.

    1819 July 31, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “English Writers on America”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number II, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 102

    Distilled to its essence, it is by no means clear that the ‘Cablegate’ disclosures were intended to support freedom of information, transparency, probity in government, or defence of the public interest.

    2013, Andrew F. Cooper, Jorge Heine, Ramesh Thakur, editors, The Oxford Handbook of Modern Diplomacy, OUP Oxford, →ISBN, page 464

    The veterans add in their letter, which was partly coordinated by the campaign group Republic: “Officers of the British armed forces must adhere to the very highest standards of probity, honesty and honourable conduct. […]

    2022 January 13, Ben Quinn, “Queen strips Prince Andrew of military roles and royal patronages”, in The Guardian

    Synonyms: godliness, goodness, honour, righteousness, saintliness, uprightness, virtue, angelicality · Antonyms: wickedness

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

  1. Latinprobitās“uprightness, honesty”
  2. Middle Frenchprobité
  3. Englishprobity

From Middle French probité, from Latin probitās (“uprightness, honesty”), from probus (“good, excellent, honest”); see probe, prove.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian честност, неподкупност
  • честност (čestnost)integrity
  • неподкупност (nepodkupnost)integrity
Catalan probitat
  • probitatintegrity
Danish redelighed, integritet
  • redelighedintegrity
  • integritetintegrity
Dutch integriteit, rechtschapenheid
  • integriteitintegrity
  • rechtschapenheidintegrity
  • eerlijkheidintegrity
  • oprechtheidintegrity
German Probität, Rechtschaffenheit
  • Probitätintegrity
  • Rechtschaffenheitintegrity
Latin probitās
  • probitāsintegrity
Norwegian Bokmål redelighet
  • redelighetintegrity
Polish uczciwość
  • uczciwośćintegrity
Portuguese probidade
  • probidadeintegrity
Russian честность
  • честность (čestnostʹ)integrity
Spanish probidad
  • probidadintegrity
Swedish redlighet, rättskaffenhet
  • redlighetintegrity
  • rättskaffenhetintegrity
Cite this entry
APA

probity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probity

MLA

“probity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probity. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “probity,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probity.

Source: probity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.