Sincere, a. [Compar. Sincerer; superl. Sincerest.]
Etymology: [L. sincerus, of uncertain origin; the first part perhaps akin to sin- in singuli (see Single), and the second to cernere to separate (cf. Discern): cf. F. sincère.]
1. Pure; unmixed; unadulterated. There is no sincere acid in any animal juice. Arbuthnot. A joy which never was sincere till now. Dryden.
2. Whole; perfect; unhurt; uninjured. [Obs.] The inviolable body stood sincere. Dryden.
3. Being in reality what it appears to be; having a character which corresponds with the appearance; not falsely assumed; genuine; true; real; as, a sincere desire for knowledge; a sincere contempt for meanness. A sincere intention of pleasing God in all our actions. Law.
4. Honest; free from hypocrisy or dissimulation; as, a sincere friend; a sincere person. The more sincere you are, the better it will fare with you at the great day of account. Waterland.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Honest; unfeigned; unvarnished; real; true; unaffected; inartificial; frank; upright. See Hearty.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for sincere; he lists it under candid, honest.
Where he writes about it:
Sincere applies to the feelings, as being all that one's words would imply. — from candid