unfeigned
un-FAYND
/ʌnˈfeɪnd/
Genuine; sincere; not pretended or faked.
Specifically highlights that an emotional reaction is genuine and not staged for show.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'fingere' (to touch, mold, or invent fiction), which gave us 'fiction' and 'feign'. Unfeigned literally means 'not molded or fabricated into a fake story'.
Word relationships
- authentic: Authentic refers to real origins; unfeigned refers to real un-acted feelings.
- genuine: Genuine is broader; unfeigned specifically stresses 'not pretended'.
- feigned: Feigned means deliberately faked or simulated.
- simulated: Simulated implies artificially created appearance.
Commonly confused with
- unfainted: Unfainted is not a standard English word; faint means pass out.
Word family
- unfeignedly (adverb): In a truly authentic, un-acted manner.
Collocations
- unfeigned delight
- unfeigned admiration
- unfeigned emotion
- unfeigned affection
Idioms & expressions
- pure and simple
Example sentences
- "She reacted to the surprise news with unfeigned joy and tears." Dramatic scene
- "The host welcomed his guests with unfeigned warmth." Literary depiction
Memory hook
UN-FEIGNED = UN-FAKED: It was NOT faked in any way. Real emotion, zero acting.
When not to use
Rarely used in informal conversation; best suited for literary or highly formal writing.
Fun facts
- The Latin root 'fingere' also gave English 'fiction' and 'figure'.
Explore more words
sincere, unpretentious, feign, disingenuous, authentic, unflagging
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