333. Honesty (See also Righteousness, Virtuousness.)

1. Alethia ancient Greek personification of truth. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 18]
2. Better Business Bureau nationwide system of organizations investigating dishonest business practices. [Am. Commerce: Misc.]
3. bittersweet traditional symbol of truth. [Plant Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 172]
4. Boffin, Nickodemus despite personal loss, endows patron’s son. [Br. Lit.: Our Mutual Friend ]
5. Bunker, Edith her uprightness frequently conflicts with Archie’s opportunism. [TV: “All in the Family” in Terrace, I, 47–48]
6. cherry tree young George Washington’s admission of chopping it down was proof of his honesty. [Am. Legend: Misc.]
7. chrysanthemum symbol of truth. [Flower Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 173; Kunz, 330]
8. Cordelia though it costs her an inheritance, she refuses to say that she could love her father exclusively. [Br. Drama: Shakespeare King Lear ]
9. Cranmer, Thomas a meek, patient, honest churchman. [Br. Lit.: Henry VIII ]
10. Diogenes (c. 412–323 B.C.) philosopher; fabled lantern-carrying searcher for an honest man. [Gk. Hist.: Hall, 104]
11. Edgar truthful, straightforward character; does no evil. [Br. Lit.: King Lear ]
12. John of Gaunt overly blunt uncle of Richard II. [Br. Lit.: Richard II ]
13. Lenox, John his straight-forward dealings win Harum’s approval. [Am. Lit.: David Harum ]
14. Lincoln, Abraham (1809–1865) 16th U.S. president; nicknamed “Honest Abe.” [Am. Hist.: Kane, 525]
15. Melantius honest soldier; trusts everyone until shown other-wise. [Br. Lit.: The Maid’s Tragedy ]
16. open book signified spreading of truth by text and doctrine. [Christian Symbolism: Appleton, 13]
17. Pure, Simon character in Centlire play (1718). [Br. Lit.: Bold Stroke for a Wife ]
18. Trelawney, Squire sincere, genuine ship-owner; benevolent authority. [Br. Lit.: Treasure Island ]
19. Truman, Harry (1884–1972) 33rd U.S. president who, despite much controversy over his policies, is remembered for impeccable honesty and plain speaking. [Am. Hist.: NCE, 2793]
20. truth serum drug inducing one to speak uninhibitedly. [Science: Brewer Dictionary, 1105]
21. Una personification of honesty; leads lamb and rides white ass. [Br. Lit.: Faerie Queene ]
22. Washington, George (1732–1799) first U.S. president; reputed to have said, “Father, I cannot tell a lie.” [Am. Hist.: NCE, 2933]
23. white chrysanthemum traditional symbol of truth. [Flower Symbolism: Jobes, 333]

Honesty ♀ From the vocabulary word denoting the quality (via Old French, from Latin honestas, connected with honor ‘honour’). It was rare as a name until the 20th century, but at least one exmple from the 17th century is recorded. Modern use may have also been influenced by the fact that there is a flowering plant named with this word.

hon·es·ty / ˈänistē/ • n. 1. the quality of being honest. 2. a European plant (genus Lunaria) of the cabbage family, with purple or white flowers and round, flat, translucent seedpods that are used for indoor flower arrangements. Also called money plant.

honesty In AV 2 Esd. 16: 49 where NRSV, REB prefer ‘virtuous’. But ‘honesty’ has the modern sense in NRSV of Gen. 30: 33.

honesty •banditti, bitty, chitty, city, committee, ditty, gritty, intercity, kitty, nitty-gritty, Pitti, pity, pretty, shitty, slitty, smriti, spitty, titty, vittae, witty •fifty, fifty-fifty, nifty, shifty, swiftie, thrifty •guilty, kiltie, silty •flinty, linty, minty, shinty •ballistae, Christie, Corpus Christi, misty, twisty, wristy •sixty •deity, gaiety (US gayety), laity, simultaneity, spontaneity •contemporaneity, corporeity, femineity, heterogeneity, homogeneity •anxiety, contrariety, dubiety, impiety, impropriety, inebriety, notoriety, piety, satiety, sobriety, ubiety, variety •moiety •acuity, ambiguity, annuity, assiduity, congruity, contiguity, continuity, exiguity, fatuity, fortuity, gratuity, ingenuity, perpetuity, perspicuity, promiscuity, suety, superfluity, tenuity, vacuity •rabbity •improbity, probity •acerbity • witchetty • crotchety •heredity •acidity, acridity, aridity, avidity, cupidity, flaccidity, fluidity, frigidity, humidity, hybridity, insipidity, intrepidity, limpidity, liquidity, lividity, lucidity, morbidity, placidity, putridity, quiddity, rabidity, rancidity, rapidity, rigidity, solidity, stolidity, stupidity, tepidity, timidity, torpidity, torridity, turgidity, validity, vapidity •commodity, oddity •immodesty, modesty •crudity, nudity •fecundity, jocundity, moribundity, profundity, rotundity, rubicundity •absurdity • difficulty • gadgety •majesty • fidgety • rackety •pernickety, rickety •biscuity •banality, duality, fatality, finality, ideality, legality, locality, modality, morality, natality, orality, reality, regality, rurality, tonality, totality, venality, vitality, vocality •fidelity •ability, agility, civility, debility, docility, edibility, facility, fertility, flexility, fragility, futility, gentility, hostility, humility, imbecility, infantility, juvenility, liability, mobility, nihility, nobility, nubility, puerility, senility, servility, stability, sterility, tactility, tranquillity (US tranquility), usability, utility, versatility, viability, virility, volatility •ringlety •equality, frivolity, jollity, polity, quality •credulity, garrulity, sedulity •nullity •amity, calamity •extremity • enmity •anonymity, dimity, equanimity, magnanimity, proximity, pseudonymity, pusillanimity, unanimity •comity •conformity, deformity, enormity, multiformity, uniformity •subcommittee • pepperminty •infirmity •Christianity, humanity, inanity, profanity, sanity, urbanity, vanity •amnesty •lenity, obscenity, serenity •indemnity, solemnity •mundanity • amenity •affinity, asininity, clandestinity, divinity, femininity, infinity, masculinity, salinity, trinity, vicinity, virginity •benignity, dignity, malignity •honesty •community, immunity, importunity, impunity, opportunity, unity •confraternity, eternity, fraternity, maternity, modernity, paternity, taciturnity •serendipity, snippety •uppity •angularity, barbarity, bipolarity, charity, circularity, clarity, complementarity, familiarity, granularity, hilarity, insularity, irregularity, jocularity, linearity, parity, particularity, peculiarity, polarity, popularity, regularity, secularity, similarity, singularity, solidarity, subsidiarity, unitarity, vernacularity, vulgarity •alacrity • sacristy •ambidexterity, asperity, austerity, celerity, dexterity, ferrety, posterity, prosperity, severity, sincerity, temerity, verity •celebrity • integrity • rarity •authority, inferiority, juniority, majority, minority, priority, seniority, sonority, sorority, superiority •mediocrity • sovereignty • salubrity •entirety •futurity, immaturity, impurity, maturity, obscurity, purity, security, surety •touristy •audacity, capacity, fugacity, loquacity, mendacity, opacity, perspicacity, pertinacity, pugnacity, rapacity, sagacity, sequacity, tenacity, veracity, vivacity, voracity •laxity •sparsity, varsity •necessity •complexity, perplexity •density, immensity, propensity, tensity •scarcity • obesity •felicity, toxicity •fixity, prolixity •benedicite, nicety •anfractuosity, animosity, atrocity, bellicosity, curiosity, fabulosity, ferocity, generosity, grandiosity, impecuniosity, impetuosity, jocosity, luminosity, monstrosity, nebulosity, pomposity, ponderosity, porosity, preciosity, precocity, reciprocity, religiosity, scrupulosity, sinuosity, sumptuosity, velocity, verbosity, virtuosity, viscosity •paucity • falsity • caducity • russety •adversity, biodiversity, diversity, perversity, university •sacrosanctity, sanctity •chastity •entity, identity •quantity • certainty •cavity, concavity, depravity, gravity •travesty • suavity •brevity, levity, longevity •velvety • naivety •activity, nativity •equity •antiquity, iniquity, obliquity, ubiquity •propinquity