Fidelity

/fɪˈdɛlɪti/

nounmedium📊CommonGeneral
2 meanings3 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

Faithfulness; loyalty; the quality of being true to one's promises or duties.

/fɪˈdɛlɪti/

nounpositivemedium
General

Faithfulness or loyalty to a person, cause, or belief.

The fidelity of the soldier to his country was unwavering.

💡 Simply: Fidelity is like being a super-reliable friend who always keeps their promises and sticks by you, no matter what. It's all about being true and loyal!

👶 For kids: Fidelity means being a really good friend who always keeps their promises.

More Examples

2

Their fidelity to each other was the foundation of their long marriage.

3

The company's fidelity to its customers is a core value.

How It's Used

Relationships

"The couple's fidelity was tested by the pressures of their long-distance relationship."

Political

"Citizens swear an oath of fidelity to the constitution."

2

The degree of exactness with which something is copied or reproduced.

/fɪˈdɛlɪti/

nounneutralmedium
General

The degree to which an image, sound, or other information is accurately reproduced.

The new speakers offer exceptional audio fidelity.

💡 Simply: Fidelity is like how well a copy matches the original. Think of a super clear photo, that has high-fidelity - it's a really good copy! And bad copy is low-fidelity.

👶 For kids: Fidelity is how good a copy is. Like, does the copy of a drawing look just like the original?

More Examples

2

High-fidelity recordings capture every nuance of the music.

3

The photograph's low fidelity made it difficult to discern details.

How It's Used

Audio Engineering

"High-fidelity audio systems provide a more immersive listening experience."

Digital Imaging

"The camera's high fidelity produced sharp, detailed images."

Tip:Think of a Hi-Fi (high fidelity) stereo system reproducing sounds with accuracy.

Idioms & expressions

marital fidelity

Faithfulness between married partners.

"Marital fidelity is often considered a cornerstone of a successful marriage."

high fidelity

The accurate reproduction of sound.

"The headphones offered high fidelity audio."

lack of fidelity

A deficiency in faithfulness, loyalty, or accuracy

"The politician's lack of fidelity to his promises eroded public trust."

From Latin *fidēlitās* 'faithfulness, loyalty', related to *fidus* 'faithful'. It entered English in the 14th century.

The word 'fidelity' has been used for centuries to describe loyalty and accuracy. Its use has spanned across various contexts from religious texts to legal documents.

Memory tip

Think of a faithful dog (Fi-del-ity) always by your side.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"faithfulness"

marital fidelityfidelity to principlesfidelity to the truthhigh fidelity (audio)

Common misspellings

fideltyfedelity

Usage

30%Spoken
70%Written