Sincerely

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /sɪnˈsɪəli/

Definitions

1. In a genuine and honest manner without deception or pretense
2. In a way that conveys true feelings and intentions without any pretense or deceit
3. Expressed with true and heartfelt honesty, showing no falseness or deceit

Etymology: "Sincerely" is about as plain as English etymology gets: it is the adverb of "sincere," with the common suffix "-ly" attached, so its story is really the story of its root. That root is the Latin "sincerus," meaning "pure, clean, sound," and the image behind it is worth a moment. Latin speakers applied the word to things that were unmixed or undamaged, such as wine or metal without impurities, and only later to people who were free of pretence. The sense of honesty and freedom from deceit grew out of that original idea of wholeness. Something without adulteration was trustworthy in the way an unspoiled object is, and that moral meaning is what English inherited when the adjective arrived. The adverb followed the adjective, so "sincerely" carries the same thread: a statement made without anything mixed into it.

Synonyms: genuinely, truly, honestly, faithfully, cordially

Antonyms: insincerely, dishonestly, falsely, deceptively, hypocritically