unfeigned
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of unfeigned
First recorded in 1325–75, unfeigned is from the Middle English word unfeynid. See un- 1, feign, -ed 2
Explanation
Feign means to fake, or pretend, so unfeigned means sincere. If you greet a friend with unfeigned joy, she'll know you are happy to see her. Unfeigned is a delightful word, pertaining as it often does to young, innocent, and trusting people––the ones who cannot hide their feelings. Who wants fake laughs when you can have unfeigned laughter? Or fake tears when unfeigned sorrow is so much more affecting? When spelling unfeigned, remember the poem: "'i' before 'e,' except after 'c,' or when sounding like 'a,' as in 'neighbor' or 'weigh'." Or unfeigned.
Vocabulary lists containing unfeigned
"The Red-Headed League" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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The Taming of the Shrew
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Intermediate, List 10
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Unfeigned sorrow was expressed in the face of Akhmet Khan.
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 53, No. 329, March, 1843 by Various
Then shall thy Saints unmixed, and from the impure Far separate, circling thy holy mount, Unfeigned Halleluiahs to thee sing, Hymns of high praise, and I among them Chief.
From Paradise Lost by Milton, John
Thirdly, Unfeigned faith gives the answer of a good conscience.
From The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning by Binning, Hugh
When to Nice you bid good-bye, Unfeigned joy is in your eye.
From Marie Bashkirtseff (From Childhood to Girlhood) by Bashkirtseff, Marie
The estate of Unfeigned Panckhurst was administered upon in 1656.
From Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature by Bardsley, Charles W.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
