genuine and honest, without pretense or lies; truly meant from the heart.
From Latin 'sincerus,' possibly meaning 'pure' or 'clean,' though the exact origin is debated. Some scholars suggest it means 'without wax,' referring to marble or honey that wasn't adulterated. The meaning evolved to refer to honest and genuine feelings or statements.
The theory that 'sincere' comes from 'sine cera' (without wax) is probably false, but it shows how people invented explanations for words they didn't understand—and some of those fake etymologies spread so widely they almost became true!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.