honest Injun

American

[in-juhn] / ˈɪn dʒən /

Or honest injun

adverb

Older Use: Often Offensive.

honestly (used to emphasize the truth of a statement).

Sensitive Note

Honest Injun uses a nonstandard pronunciation spelling of Indian. Popularized by Mark Twain in Tom Sawyer (1876), this expression is now dated and perceived as insulting to American Indians. Though it came to mean “honestly or truly,” the expression may have had its origin in the contrary historical perception that Native Americans were not considered honest or trustworthy until they had proven themselves, for example, as scouts. See also Indian.

Etymology

Origin of honest Injun

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; Injun

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.

Bill was so certain that things looked better, and—" "Tad, hain't ye ever been in the old hole sence that day, honest Injun?

From Buffalo Roost by Cheley, F. H.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023