onesta

Onesta is a term that can refer to different concepts in Italian language and usage. The most common meaning is the feminine singular form of the Italian adjective onesto, which translates to honest, honorable, or decent in English. In Italian, onesta agrees with feminine nouns and is used to describe people, actions, or traits considered trustworthy or virtuous, as in una persona onesta or una reputazione onesta.

Etymology: Onesta derives from Latin honestus, via Old Italian, sharing cognates with English honest. The word is used across Italian-speaking communities and has appeared in various literary and rhetorical contexts to express integrity.

As a surname: Onesta is also found as an Italian surname. Surnames of this kind often originated as nicknames or as indicators of a trait attributed to an ancestor, and they have spread with migration to other countries. Individuals bearing the surname Onesta have been recorded in Italian and diaspora populations.

See also: onesto, honest, honesty.