sincere
adjUK /sɪnˈsɪə(ɹ)/ · US /sɪnˈsɪɹ/
Etymology From Middle French sincere, from Latin sincerus (“genuine”), from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“together”) (whence English sam) + *ḱer- (“grow”) (whence Latin Ceres, the goddess of harvest, etymon of cereal). Not from sine (“without”) + cera (“wax”), a folk etymology; see Wikipedia page.
1
Genuine; meaning what one says or does; heartfelt.
- I believe he is sincere in his offer to help.
- Tumid blustering, with more or less of sincerity, which need not be entirely sincere, yet the sincerer the better, is like to go far.1837, Thomas Carlyle, chapter III, in The French Revolution: A History […], volume II (The Constitution), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, book I (The Feast of Pikes), page 19:
2 more examples
- My sincerest apologies to Brother Ron Smith in the December ish.1967 June, Drake Maynard, If, volume 17, number 6, page 160:
- If you choose to pull the trigger, should your drama prove sincere Do it somewhere far away from here2003, “The Outsider”, performed by A Perfect Circle:
2
Meant truly or earnestly.
- She gave it a sincere if misguided effort.
- The message that through sincere teshuvah and resolution, light and gladness can be achieved by all, is most fitting for the opening of the Yom Kippur service.1996, Macy Nulman, The Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer, page 161:
3
Archaic clean; pure
- Synonyms
- earnest
- Antonyms
- insincere
- Derived terms
- oversincere, supersincere, unsincere
- Related terms
- cereal, Ceres, crescent, sincerity, sincereness