Adjacent Words

Fidelity definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FIDEL'ITY, n. [L. fidelitas, from fides, faith, fido, to trust. See Faith.]
1. Faithfulness; careful and exact observance of duty, or performance of obligations. We expect fidelity in a public minister, in an agent or trustee, in a domestic servant, in a friend.
The best security for the fidelity of men, is to make interest coincide with duty.
2. Firm adherence to a person or party with which one is united, or to which one is bound; loyalty; as the fidelity of subjects to their king or government; the fidelity of a tenant or liege to his lord.
3. Observance of the marriage covenant; as the fidelity of a husband or wife.
4. Honesty; veracity; adherence to truth; as the fidelity of a witness.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: accuracy with which an electronic system reproduces the sound or image of its input signal
2: the quality of being faithful [syn: fidelity, faithfulness] [ant: infidelity, unfaithfulness]

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural -ties) Etymology: Middle English fidelite, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French fidelité, from Latin fidelitat-, fidelitas, from fidelis faithful, from fides faith, from fidere to trust — more at bide Date: 15th century 1. a. the quality or state of being faithful b. accuracy in details ; exactness 2. the degree to which an electronic device (as a record player, radio, or television) accurately reproduces its effect (as sound or picture) Synonyms: fidelity, allegiance, fealty, loyalty, devotion, piety mean faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty. fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty <marital fidelity>. allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country <pledging allegiance>. fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow <fealty to the truth>. loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray <valued the loyalty of his friends>. devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication <a painter's devotion to her art>. piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental <filial piety>.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 (often foll. by to) faithfulness, loyalty. 2 strict conformity to truth or fact. 3 exact correspondence to the original. 4 precision in reproduction of sound (high fidelity). Phrases and idioms: fidelity insurance insurance taken out by an employer against losses incurred through an employee's dishonesty etc. Etymology: F fidélité or L fidelitas (as FEALTY)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fidelity Fi*del"i*ty, n. [L. fidelitas: cf. F. fid['e]lit['e]. See Fealty.] Faithfulness; adherence to right; careful and exact observance of duty, or discharge of obligations. Especially: (a) Adherence to a person or party to which one is bound; loyalty. Whose courageous fidelity was proof to all danger. --Macaulay. The best security for the fidelity of men is to make interest coincide with duty. --A. Hamilton. (b) Adherence to the marriage contract. (c) Adherence to truth; veracity; honesty. The principal thing required in a witness is fidelity. --Hooker. Syn: Faithfulness; honesty; integrity; faith; loyalty; fealty.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Fidelity is loyalty to a person, organization, or set of beliefs. (FORMAL) I had to promise fidelity to the Queen. = loyalty ? disloyalty N-UNCOUNT: oft N to n 2. Fidelity is being loyal to your husband, wife, or partner by not having a sexual relationship with anyone else. Wanting fidelity implies you're thinking about a major relationship. ? infidelity 3. The fidelity of something such as a report or translation is the degree to which it is accurate. (FORMAL) ...the fidelity of these early documents. = accuracy N-UNCOUNT: with poss, oft N to n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Faithfulness, devotedness, devotion, truth, true-heartedness, loyalty, fealty, adherence to duty, observance of good faith. 2. Accuracy, closeness, exactness, faithfulness, precision.

Moby Thesaurus

abandon, absoluteness, accuracy, adherence, adhesion, allegiance, application, ardency, ardor, assiduity, assiduousness, attachment, attention to fact, bona fides, bond, bonne foi, bulldog tenacity, care for truth, commitment, committedness, concentration, constancy, correctness, dedication, delicacy, dependability, devotedness, devotion, devoutness, diligence, dogged perseverance, doggedness, earnestness, endurance, engrossment, exactitude, exactness, faith, faithfulness, faultlessness, fealty, fervency, fervidness, fervor, fineness, fire, firmness, flawlessness, good faith, heartiness, heat, heatedness, homage, impassionedness, indefatigability, industriousness, industry, insistence, insistency, intensity, intentness, literalism, literality, literalness, loyalty, mathematical precision, meticulousness, niceness, nicety, obstinacy, passion, passionateness, patience, patience of Job, perfection, permanence, perseverance, persistence, persistency, pertinaciousness, pertinacity, piety, plodding, plugging, preciseness, precision, preoccupation, refinement, relentlessness, reliability, resolution, right, rightness, rigidity, rigor, rigorousness, sedulity, sedulousness, seriousness, severity, sincerity, single-mindedness, singleness of purpose, slogging, spirit, stability, stamina, staunchness, staying power, steadfastness, steadiness, stick-to-itiveness, strictness, stubbornness, subtlety, tenaciousness, tenacity, textualism, the letter, tie, tirelessness, troth, true blue, trueness, trustworthiness, unremittingness, unswerving attention, vehemence, warmth, zeal