honest

Honest refers to a quality of being truthful, accurate, and trustworthy in conduct, speech, and intention. An honest person is expected to report facts as they are, to keep promises, and to avoid deception or misrepresentation. Honesty is often valued as a foundation for reliable relationships, social cooperation, and moral integrity.

Originating from the Latin honestus meaning respectable or honorable, the word entered English in the late Middle Ages via Old French. Initially associated with moral integrity and social propriety, it broadened to emphasize truthfulness in communication.

Honesty encompasses truth-telling and integrity in action; it is related but not identical to sincerity, which concerns inner feelings or beliefs, and to accuracy, which concerns factual correctness. People can be honest in reporting facts, but may be insincere about motives; conversely, someone can intend to tell the truth yet err.

Practical manifestations include telling the truth, admitting mistakes, avoiding deceptive practices, and honoring commitments. In everyday life and business, honesty fosters trust and reduces the costs of deceit, such as fraud or embarrassment.

Many legal and ethical systems treat honesty as a baseline expectation; breaches can have consequences, from social censure to legal penalties. Some cultures also emphasize polite or face-saving communication, which may involve selective truth-telling in sensitive situations.

In psychology and personality research, honesty is often studied as part of honesty–humility, a dimension in models such as HEXACO, and as a broader trait reflecting integrity and reliability.