Definition
Sincerity is the quality of being honest, genuine, and not pretending or lying. A sincere person truly means what they say or feel.
Etymology
“Sincerity” comes from French “sincérité,” from Latin “sinceritas,” from “sincerus,” meaning pure or clean. Folk etymology wrongly claims it means ‘without wax’ in Latin, but scholars reject this. The true root is about unmixed, pure intentions or feelings.
Kelly Says
The popular story that sincerity means ‘without wax’ (as if hiding cracks in statues) is charming but false—yet it keeps being repeated. What is true is that the word has always been about being unmixed and undiluted, like pure wine or pure motives. It’s a good reminder to check feel-good stories about word origins.
Translations
AFAfrikaans
opregtheid
op-rekh-tait
BGБългарски
искреност
is-KRE-nost
BNবাংলা
আন্তরিকতা
an-to-ri-ko-ta
CACatalà
sinceritat
sin-se-ree-TAT
CSČeština
upřímnost
u-przheem-nost
DADansk
oprigtighed
op-RIG-ti-hed
DEDeutsch
Aufrichtigkeit
AUF-rikh-tig-kait
ELΕλληνικά
ειλικρίνεια
i-li-KRI-ni-a
ESEspañol
sinceridad
sin-se-ree-DAD
EUEuskara
benetakotasun
be-ne-ta-ko-ta-sun
FAفارسی
صداقت
sa-daa-ghat
FISuomi
vilpittömyys
vil-pit-to-myyys
FRFrançais
sincérité
san-say-ree-TAY
GLGalego
sinceridade
sin-se-ree-DA-de
HIहिन्दी
ईमानदारी
ee-maan-daa-ree
HRHrvatski
iskrenost
is-KRE-nost
HUMagyar
őszinteség
ER-sin-te-sheg
IDBahasa Indonesia
ketulusan
ke-tu-lu-san
ITItaliano
sincerità
sin-che-ree-TA
LTLietuvių
nuoširdumas
nuo-shir-DU-mas
LVLatviešu
sirsnība
sirs-NEE-ba
MNМонгол
үнэнч шударга байдал
u-nench shu-dar-ga bai-dal
MSBahasa Melayu
keikhlasan
ke-ikh-la-san
MYမြန်မာ
ရိုးသားမှု
yo-tha-hmu
NLNederlands
oprechtheid
OP-rekht-hait
NONorsk
oppriktighet
op-RIK-tig-het
PLPolski
szczerość
SHCHE-roshch
PTPortuguês
sinceridade
sin-se-ree-DA-de
RORomână
sinceritate
sin-che-ree-TA-te
RUРусский
искренность
IS-kren-nost
SKSlovenčina
úprimnosť
UU-prim-nost
SLSlovenščina
iskrenost
is-KRE-nost
SRСрпски
искреност
is-KRE-nost
SVSvenska
uppriktighet
up-RIK-tig-het
SWKiswahili
ukweli
u-KWE-li
TEతెలుగు
నిజాయితీ
ni-jaa-yi-tee
THไทย
ความจริงใจ
khwam jing jai
TRTürkçe
samimiyet
sa-mi-mi-YET
UKУкраїнська
щирість
shchy-RIST
VITiếng Việt
sự chân thành
su chan thanh
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Women and gender minorities have often been expected to display more 'sincerity' and emotional openness than men, while their sincere testimony—especially about harassment, health, or work—was doubted or dismissed. This double standard shapes how accusations of insincerity can be gendered.
Inclusive Usage
Avoid implying that emotional restraint or assertiveness is less 'sincere' and be cautious about labeling entire groups as more or less sincere by nature.
Inclusive Alternatives
["honesty","good faith","genuineness"]