Firm and loyal, not changing your mind or giving up, even when things are hard.
From Old English “stedefæst,” meaning ‘fixed in place’ or ‘firmly established.’ It combines “stede” (place) and “fæst” (firm), originally describing something physically fixed before shifting toward emotional and moral firmness.
Think of a tent peg hammered deep into the ground: that’s what “steadfast” loyalty is like—it doesn’t wobble when the wind blows. The word moved from describing physical stability to describing emotional and moral reliability, but the image of “staying put” is still hiding inside it.
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