adj · noun · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈfeɪθ.fl̩/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:F EY1 TH F AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
My dog is very faithful: he doesn't like to be petted by anybody else.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Having faith.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Reliable; worthy of trust.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
My servant is very faithful.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Consistent with reality.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I would consider that a very faithful reproduction.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Engaging in sexual relations only with one's spouse or long-term sexual partner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
They had been faithful to each other all of their married life.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Injective in specific contexts, e.g. of representations in representation or functors in category theory.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adj
Meaning 7
Of a module, whose annihilator is zero.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: ring theory
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
The practicing members of a religion or followers of a cause.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: noun, plural
Examples
The faithful pray five times a day.
The annual meeting was attended by the long-term party faithful.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
Someone or something that is faithful or reliable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
adjective
Meaning 10
steadfast in affection or allegiance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
years of faithful service
faithful employees
we do not doubt that England has a faithful patriot in the Lord Chancellor
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: unfaithful
11
adjective
Meaning 11
not having sexual relations with anyone except your husband or wife, or your boyfriend or girlfriend
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he remained faithful to his wife
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: unfaithful
12
adjective satellite
Meaning 12
marked by fidelity to an original
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a close translation
a faithful copy of the portrait
a faithful rendering of the observed facts
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: close
Antonyms: none provided
13
noun
Meaning 13
a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: congregation, fold
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: social group
Narrower terms: flock
14
noun
Meaning 14
any loyal and steadfast following
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: following, followers
History
Etymology
From Middle English feithful, equivalent to faith + -ful.
Across languages
Translations
212 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
besnik
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Arabic:
وَفِيّ
(wafiyy)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Arabic:
مُخْلِص
(muḵliṣ)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Armenian:
հավատարիմ
(havatarim)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Azerbaijani:
sadiq
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Azerbaijani:
sədaqətli
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Azerbaijani:
vəfalı
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Bashkir:
тоғро
(toğro)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Belarusian:
ве́рны
(vjérny)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Bengali:
বিশ্বস্ত
(biśśosto)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Bengali:
অনুগত
(onugoto)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Bulgarian:
ве́рен
(véren)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Bulgarian:
пре́дан
(prédan)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Burmese:
သစ္စာရှိ
(saccahri.)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Catalan:
fidel
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Catalan:
lleial
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Chinese Mandarin:
忠實 /忠实
(zhōngshí)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Czech:
věrný
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Danish:
trofast
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Dutch:
getrouw
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Esperanto:
fidela
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Estonian:
ustav
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Estonian:
truu
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Finnish:
uskollinen
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
French:
fidèle
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
French:
loyal
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Friulian:
fidêl
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Galician:
fiel
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Galician:
leal
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Georgian:
ერთგული
(ertguli)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
German:
treu
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
German:
loyal
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
German:
anhänglich
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
German:
treu ergeben
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
German:
zuverlässig
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
German:
getreu
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Gothic:
𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌲𐌲𐍅𐍃
(triggws)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Greek:
πιστός
(pistós)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Ancient Greek:
πιστός
(pistós)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Hebrew:
נֶאֱמָן
(ne'emán)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Hindi:
निष्ठावान
(niṣṭhāvān)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Hindi:
वफ़ादार
(vafādār)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Hungarian:
hű
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Hungarian:
hűséges
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Icelandic:
trúr
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Icelandic:
tryggur
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Ido:
fidela
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Indonesian:
setia
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Ingrian:
vernoi
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Italian:
fedele
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Italian:
ligio
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Japanese:
忠実な
(chūjitsu na)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Kazakh:
адал
(adal)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Khmer:
ចិត្តត្រង់
(cət trɑng)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Korean:
충실하다
(chungsilhada)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Northern Kurdish:
wefadar
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Northern Kurdish:
dilsoz
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Kyrgyz:
ишенимдүү
(işenimdüü)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Kyrgyz:
динге ишенген
(dinge işengen)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Kyrgyz:
чынчыл
(cıncıl)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Kyrgyz:
ишенчиликтүү
(işenciliktüü)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Kyrgyz:
так
(tak)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Ladin:
fedel
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Lao:
ຊື່
(sư̄)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Lao:
ຊື່ຕົງ
(sư̄ tong)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Latgalian:
teirserdeigs
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Latin:
firmus
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Latin:
fidēlis
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Latin:
fidus
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Latvian:
godprātīgs
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Latvian:
uzticīgs
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Lithuanian:
ištikimas
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Low German:
tro
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Macedonian:
верен
(veren)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Malay:
setia
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Māori:
pirihonga
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Māori:
piripono
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Mongolian:
үнэнч
(ünenč)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Mongolian:
ᠦᠨᠡᠨᠴᠢ
(ünenči)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Norwegian Bokmål:
trofast
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Norwegian Nynorsk:
trufast
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Old English:
trīewe
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Old English:
ġetrīewe
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Pashto:
وفادار
(wafādãr)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Persian:
وفادار
(vafâdâr)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Polish:
wierny
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Portuguese:
fiel
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Portuguese:
leal
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Romagnol:
fidél
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Romanian:
fidel
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Romanian:
loial
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Russian:
ве́рный
(vérnyj)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Russian:
пре́данный
(prédannyj)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Sanskrit:
निष्ठावान्
(niṣṭhāvān)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Sanskrit:
भक्त
(bhakta)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Sardinian:
fidele
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Sardinian:
fideli
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Sardinian:
fieli
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Scottish Gaelic:
dìleas
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Serbo-Croatian:
веран
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Serbo-Croatian:
вјеран
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Serbo-Croatian:
veran
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Serbo-Croatian:
vjeran
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Sicilian:
fideli
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Slovak:
verný
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Slovene:
zvest
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Spanish:
fiel
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Swedish:
trogen
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Tajik:
вафодор
(vafodor)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Telugu:
నమ్మకమైన
(nammakamaina)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Thai:
ซื่อสัตย์
(sʉ̂ʉ-sàt)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Thai:
จงรัก
(jong-rák)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Thai:
ซื่อตรง
(sʉ̂ʉ-dtrong)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Thai:
ซื่อ
(sʉ̂ʉ)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Turkish:
sadakatli
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Turkish:
sadık
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Turkish:
vefakar
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Turkish:
vefakâr
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Turkish:
vefalı
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Turkmen:
wepaly
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Ukrainian:
ві́рний
(vírnyj)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Ukrainian:
ві́дданий
(víddanyj)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Urdu:
وفادار
(vafādār)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Uyghur:
سادىق
(sadiq)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Uyghur:
ۋاپادار
(wapadar)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Uzbek:
sodiq
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Uzbek:
vafodor
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Vietnamese:
chung thủy
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Welsh:
fyddlon
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Yiddish:
טרײַ
(tray)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Yiddish:
געטרײַ
(getray)
— loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
Bulgarian:
вярващ
(vjarvašt)
— having faith
Catalan:
fidel
— having faith
Dutch:
trouw
— having faith
Finnish:
uskollinen
— having faith
French:
fidèle
— having faith
Galician:
fiel
— having faith
Galician:
crente
— having faith
German:
treu
— having faith
German:
gläubig
— having faith
German:
glaubenstreu
— having faith
Ancient Greek:
πιστός
(pistós)
— having faith
Italian:
fedele
— having faith
Latin:
fidelis
— having faith
Latin:
fidus
— having faith
Norwegian:
troende
— having faith
Polish:
wierny
— having faith
Portuguese:
fiel
— having faith
Portuguese:
crente
— having faith
Romagnol:
fidél
— having faith
Romagnol:
fedél
— having faith
Russian:
ве́рующий
(vérujuščij)
— having faith
Spanish:
fiel
— having faith
Turkish:
inançlı
— having faith
Ukrainian:
ві́руючий
(vírujučyj)
— having faith
Arabic:
أَمِين
(ʔamīn)
— reliable; worthy of trust
Bulgarian:
верен
(veren)
— reliable; worthy of trust
Bulgarian:
надежден
(nadežden)
— reliable; worthy of trust
Catalan:
fidel
— reliable; worthy of trust
Danish:
pålidelig
— reliable; worthy of trust
Dutch:
trouw
— reliable; worthy of trust
Finnish:
luotettava
— reliable; worthy of trust
French:
fidèle
— reliable; worthy of trust
Galician:
leal
— reliable; worthy of trust
Galician:
fiel
— reliable; worthy of trust
German:
treu
— reliable; worthy of trust
German:
zuverlässig
— reliable; worthy of trust
German:
ergeben
— reliable; worthy of trust
German:
vertrauensvoll
— reliable; worthy of trust
German:
vertrauenswürdig
— reliable; worthy of trust
Ancient Greek:
πιστός
(pistós)
— reliable; worthy of trust
Italian:
affidabile
— reliable; worthy of trust
Latin:
fidēlis
— reliable; worthy of trust
Latin:
fidus
— reliable; worthy of trust
Norwegian:
troverdig
— reliable; worthy of trust
Norwegian Bokmål:
etterrettelig
— reliable; worthy of trust
Norwegian Bokmål:
trofast
— reliable; worthy of trust
Norwegian Nynorsk:
trufast
— reliable; worthy of trust
Plautdietsch:
tru
— reliable; worthy of trust
Portuguese:
fiel
— reliable; worthy of trust
Portuguese:
leal
— reliable; worthy of trust
Portuguese:
confiável
— reliable; worthy of trust
Russian:
надёжный
(nadjóžnyj)
— reliable; worthy of trust
Russian:
заслу́живающий дове́рия
(zaslúživajuščij dovérija)
— reliable; worthy of trust
Swahili:
-aminifu
— reliable; worthy of trust
Turkish:
güvenilir
— reliable; worthy of trust
Bulgarian:
правдив
(pravdiv)
— consistent with reality
Bulgarian:
достоверен
(dostoveren)
— consistent with reality
Catalan:
fidel
— consistent with reality
Czech:
věrný
— consistent with reality
Danish:
nøjagtig
— consistent with reality
Danish:
tro
— consistent with reality
Finnish:
uskollinen
— consistent with reality
German:
genau
— consistent with reality
German:
übereinstimmend
— consistent with reality
German:
gewissenhaft
— consistent with reality
German:
getreu
— consistent with reality
German:
werktreu
— consistent with reality
German:
sinngetreu
— consistent with reality
German:
orginalgetreu
— consistent with reality
German:
detailgetreu
— consistent with reality
German:
klangtreu
— consistent with reality
German:
naturgetreu
— consistent with reality
German:
wahrheitsgetreu
— consistent with reality
German:
glaubwürdig
— consistent with reality
Norwegian:
tro
— consistent with reality
Portuguese:
fiel
— consistent with reality
Portuguese:
verossímil
— consistent with reality
Russian:
ве́рный
(vérnyj)
— consistent with reality
Russian:
то́чный
(tóčnyj)
— consistent with reality