Honourability

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality or state of being worthy of respect and high regard due to integrity and ethical conduct; the characteristic of possessing moral excellence and trustworthiness; the attribute of acting with fairness and honesty in all dealings
2. The condition of deserving admiration through honorable behavior and upright principles; the trait indicating adherence to ethical standards and sincere intentions; the aspect of maintaining dignity and reliability in personal and social contexts
3. The possession of virtues that command esteem because of justice and rectitude; the feature that signifies commitment to fairness, credibility, and moral fortitude; the state reflecting honorable actions and respected character in various situations

Etymology: "Honourability" is a plain construction: the adjective "honourable" with the suffix "-ity" added, a pattern English has used for centuries to turn adjectives into nouns of quality, as in "ability", "stability" and "sensibility". The adjective "honourable" came into English from Old French "honorable", itself from Latin "honorabilis", meaning worthy of honour, and the English noun formed from it is first recorded around 1827. The result is a word built late in English's history, when writers wanted an abstract noun for the quality expressed by "honourable" and reached for the existing suffix rather than borrowing a new term. Its meaning therefore sits neatly on the adjective's own sense: the state of being worthy of honour, with the emphasis on conduct and integrity rather than on rank or reputation alone.

Synonyms: honorability, integrity, trustworthiness, respectability, worthiness

Antonyms: dishonor, disgrace, infamy, shame, disrepute