fidelity
fih-DEL-ih-tee
/fɪˈdel.ə.ti/
Faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support; also refers to the accuracy of a copy or reproduction.
Often carries a moral or romantic weight, implying long-term devotion or technical precision.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin 'fidelitas', from 'fidelis' (faithful), which traces back to 'fides' (faith). In the mid-20th century, the term was adopted by audio engineers to describe 'high fidelity' (hi-fi) sound reproduction.
Word relationships
- loyalty: Loyalty is a general term for devotion, while fidelity often implies strict adherence to a specific vow, duty, or standard of precision.
- allegiance: Allegiance is typically political or institutional, whereas fidelity is more personal, moral, or technical.
- infidelity: Infidelity refers specifically to unfaithfulness, especially in a marriage or romantic relationship.
- treachery: Treachery involves active, harmful betrayal of trust rather than just a failure to remain faithful.
Commonly confused with
- fealty: Fidelity is a broad term for faithfulness, whereas fealty is a specific, historical term for a vassal's sworn loyalty to a feudal lord.
Word family
- infidelity (noun): The action or state of being unfaithful.
Collocations
- marital fidelity
- high fidelity
- fidelity to duty
Idioms & expressions
- true blue
Example sentences
- "The couple swore a lifetime of fidelity to one another during their vows." Describing marital devotion.
- "The new speakers reproduce the classical recording with astonishing fidelity." Referring to high-quality audio reproduction.
Memory hook
Fidelity sounds like 'Fi-Del'—think of a dog named Fido, the classic symbol of faithful loyalty. FIDO-lity: Fido the dog is the ultimate symbol of fidelity.
When not to use
Avoid using for casual, short-term agreements where simple 'reliability' is more appropriate.
Fun facts
- The motto of the United States Marine Corps, 'Semper Fidelis' (often shortened to 'Semper Fi'), translates to 'Always Faithful'.
Explore more words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.