noun · 4 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.
UK:/ˈɹɛk.tɪ.tjuːd/
UK:/ˈɹɛk.tə.tjuːd/
US:/ˈɹɛk.tə.tuːd/
US:/ˈɹɛk.tə.tjuːd/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:R EH1 K T IH0 T UW2 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Straightness; the state or quality of having a constant direction and not being crooked or bent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rectilinearity, straightness
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The fact or quality of being right or correct; correctness of opinion or judgement.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Conformity to the rules prescribed for moral conduct; (moral) uprightness, virtue.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
righteousness as a consequence of being honorable and honest
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: uprightness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: righteousness
History
Etymology
From Middle English rectitude, from Middle French rectitude, from Late Latin rectitūdō (“straightness, uprightness”), from Latin rectus (“straight”), perfect passive participle of regō (“regulate, guide”).
Across languages
Translations
45 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Basque:
zuzentasun
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Bulgarian:
правота
(pravota)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Catalan:
rectitud
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Dutch:
rechtlijnigheid
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Finnish:
suoruus
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
French:
rectitude
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Hindi:
पाकबाजी
(pākbājī)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Hindi:
दुरुस्ती
(durustī)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Italian:
rettitudine
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Italian:
dirittura
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Kashmiri:
رٲستی
(rạ̄stī)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Kashmiri:
سؠزَر
(syazar)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Latin:
rectitūdō
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Persian:
درستکاری
(dorostkâri)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Polish:
prostość
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Romanian:
rectitudine
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Russian:
прямота́
(prjamotá)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Spanish:
rectitud
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Urdu:
پاکبازی
(pakbazi)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Urdu:
درستی
(drusti)
— straightness; state or quality of having a constant direction
Bulgarian:
правилност
(pravilnost)
— rightness of principle or practice
Catalan:
rectitud
— rightness of principle or practice
Dutch:
rechtlijnigheid
— rightness of principle or practice
Finnish:
rehtiys
— rightness of principle or practice
Finnish:
vilpittömyys
— rightness of principle or practice
French:
rectitude
— rightness of principle or practice
French:
droiture
— rightness of principle or practice
French:
rigueur
— rightness of principle or practice
Hindi:
नायकी
(nāykī)
— rightness of principle or practice
Hindi:
नाइकी
(nāikī)
— rightness of principle or practice
Italian:
rettitudine
— rightness of principle or practice
Italian:
dirittura
— rightness of principle or practice
Kashmiri:
رٲستی
(rạ̄stī)
— rightness of principle or practice
Latin:
rectitūdō
— rightness of principle or practice
Persian:
نیکوکاری
(nikukâri)
— rightness of principle or practice
Polish:
prawość
— rightness of principle or practice
Portuguese:
retidão
— rightness of principle or practice
Romanian:
rectitudine
— rightness of principle or practice
Romanian:
echitate
— rightness of principle or practice
Romanian:
rigoare
— rightness of principle or practice
Russian:
правота́
(pravotá)
— rightness of principle or practice
Russian:
пра́вильность
(právilʹnostʹ)
— rightness of principle or practice
Spanish:
rectitud
— rightness of principle or practice
Spanish:
derechura
— rightness of principle or practice
Urdu:
نیکی
(nēkī)
— rightness of principle or practice
