Fidelity

Fidelity is a word that means being faithful to obligations, duties, or observances. It means being true to one's word and having the disposition to fulfill promises. It equates to trustworthiness and implies discretion, judgment, and conscientiousness. It can also mean having unswerving allegiance to a person, spouse, or cause.

Fidelity came into English usage in the 15th century. Initially it referred only to the quality of being faithful or loyal to a person. It has its origins in the ancient Greek word peithesthai, meaning to believe or trust in a thing. Homer (eighth century BCE), the Greek epic poet who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey, used a form of the word that indicates that the notion of fidelity has been a key concept in ...