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integrity

in-TEG-rih-tee /ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/

nounB2GRESATGMAT

formalgeneral

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; the state of being whole and undivided.

In a corporate sense, integrity means that a company's actions consistently match its stated values, even when it's not profitable.

The story behind the word. From the Latin 'integer', meaning 'whole' or 'untouched.' It is the same root as 'integer' in math (a whole number). A person of integrity is 'whole' because their private actions and public words are not divided.

Word relationships

honesty: Honesty is about telling the truth; integrity is about living the truth.
rectitude: Morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness.

corruption: Dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power.
deceit: The action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.

Commonly confused with

reputation: Reputation is what people think you are; integrity is what you actually are.

Word family

integral (adjective): Necessary to make a whole complete; essential.

Collocations

personal integrity
corporate integrity
uncompromising integrity
structural integrity

Example sentences

"Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." A famous quote often attributed to C.S. Lewis about the nature of character. (C.S. Lewis)
"The company's integrity was called into question after it was revealed they had hidden data about the product's safety." The engineer refused to sign off on the faulty design, citing his professional standards.

Memory hook

Think of an 'Integer.' It's a whole number, not a fraction. A person with integrity isn't 'fractioned' or split between two different versions of themselves. Being a whole, undivided person.

When not to use

Don't use 'integrity' to mean 'intelligence' or 'skill'; it is strictly about character and consistency.

Fun facts

In engineering, 'structural integrity' refers to the ability of a structure to hold together under a load without breaking.