entry
loyal
/ˈlɔɪəl/Faithful and steadfast in allegiance or devotion
From Latin leg-/lēgālis (law).
from Latin lēgālis. Doublet of legal and leal.
from Old French loial , leal "of good quality; faithful; honorable; law-abiding; legitimate, born in wedlock,"
+1 more sourcefrom French loyal
+1 more sourceWord Ancestry
from Latin lēgālis. Doublet of legal and leal.
from Old French loial , leal "of good quality; faithful; honorable; law-abiding; legitimate, born in wedlock,"
+1 more sourcefrom French loyal
+1 more sourceA loyal person began, linguistically, not in the heart but in the courtroom. Latin lēgālis meant “belonging to the law,” from lēx, “law,” and medieval French softened that legal machinery into Old French loial: someone honorable, law-abiding, and—rather wonderfully—legitimate, meaning born within wedlock. By the 1530s, English loyal described subjects who faithfully kept their obligations to a sovereign; around 1600, the word widened to include dogs, lovers, friends, and anyone else who did not quietly change sides. Loyal is also a doublet of legal, while royal and regal display a similar French-versus-Latin pairing: French loial became loyal, just as roial became royal, while the more Latin-looking forms survived as legal and regal. So when you call a friend loyal, you are faintly invoking an old legal contract—the idea that devotion is not merely a feeling, but a promise you keep when breaking it would be easier.
The Story
A loyal person began, linguistically, not in the heart but in the courtroom. Latin lēgālis meant “belonging to the law,” from lēx, “law,” and medieval French softened that legal machinery into Old French loial: someone honorable, law-abiding, and—rather wonderfully—legitimate, meaning born within wedlock. By the 1530s, English loyal described subjects who faithfully kept their obligations to a sovereign; around 1600, the word widened to include dogs, lovers, friends, and anyone else who did not quietly change sides. Loyal is also a doublet of legal, while royal and regal display a similar French-versus-Latin pairing: French loial became loyal, just as roial became royal, while the more Latin-looking forms survived as legal and regal. So when you call a friend loyal, you are faintly invoking an old legal contract—the idea that devotion is not merely a feeling, but a promise you keep when breaking it would be easier.
Modern Usage
A person who does not cheat, lie, betray, or choose someone else over a partner or friend
Kin & Kindred
From 'leg-/lēgālis'·law; lawful; conforming to obligation
Derived Terms
English words from this root