Where does “sincerity” come from?
Sincerity derives from Middle French sincere, from Latin sincēritas, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sem- meaning together, combined with Latin cresco meaning to grow.
sincerity (English): The quality or state of being sincere; honesty of...
Definitions
- The quality or state of being sincere; honesty of...
Ancestry of “sincerity”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | sinceritie | — |
| 2 | Latin | sincēritas | integrity, honesty |
| 3 | Latin | sincērus | clean, pure, sound |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | senkairos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |