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What does the Latin root of "integrity" mean?

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integrity

American  

[in-teg-ri-tee] / ɪnˈtɛg rɪ ti /

noun

• integrities
  plural

1. 

   adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

   Synonyms:

   virtue, probity, rectitude

   Antonyms:

   dishonesty

2. the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.

   to preserve the integrity of the empire.

3. a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition.

   the integrity of a ship's hull.

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integrity British  

/ ɪnˈtɛɡrɪtɪ /

noun

1. adherence to moral principles; honesty

2. the quality of being unimpaired; soundness

3. unity; wholeness

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Synonym Usage

See honor.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• integrities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of integrity

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English integrite, from Latin integritās; see integer, -ity

Explanation

Integrity is a personal quality of fairness that we all aspire to — unless you're a dishonest, immoral scoundrel, of course. Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way. It's a personality trait that we admire, since it means a person has a moral compass that doesn't waver. It literally means having "wholeness" of character, just as an integer is a "whole number" with no fractions. Physical objects can display integrity, too — if you're going over a rickety old bridge that sways in the wind, you might question its structural integrity.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

integrity integrities

Polymarket partners with IC360, an integrity monitoring group that tracks problematic trading behavior and offers self-exclusion tools that allow users to voluntarily restrict or withdraw their accounts.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Its personal conduct policy states that “everyone who is a part of the league” must refrain from behavior detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026

A promise to pay money is only as good as the fidelity of the debtor and the integrity of the currency in which the creditor is paid.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

In a post on Facebook, the Reverend Gary Galway said: "Social media has given a platform for individuals to express themselves without restraint, or the integrity of a face-to-face civil discussion."

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Winthrop & Stimson was a familial partnership that prided itself on its integrity and the rectitude of its clientele.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

“There is no information to hide; there are institutional integrities to preserve,” they wrote.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 17, 2019

Conscious of their several responsibilities, and in the light of their various integrities, they wrote carefully and in low key.

From Time Magazine Archive

And forthright includes those intellectual and moral integrities which are essential to the maintenance of our republic.

From Time Magazine Archive

Earth holds many wondrous scenes called temples, battle-fields, cathedrals, but earth holds no scene comparable for majesty and beauty to a man clothed indeed with intellect, but adorned also with integrities and virtues.

From A Man's Value to Society Studies in Self Culture and Character by Newell Dwight Hillis

This tale has held a place in literature because it stands for men of evil all compact, whose presence has consumed integrities and exhaled iniquities.

From The Investment of Influence A Study of Social Sympathy and Service by Newell Dwight Hillis

Related Words

• honesty
• principle
• probity
• purity
• rectitude
• sincerity
• virtue