fidelity

[Fr. fidelité, from Lat. fidelitas, from fidelis faithful; fides =faith; Ital. fidelità; Sp. fidelidad.] 1. Faithfulne ; a careful and loyal observance of duty, and performance of obligations. 2. A faithful and loyal attachment or adherence to a bond, obligatory covenant, engagement or connection; loyalty. " Fidelity to a good cause in adversity had been regarded as a virtue." -Macaulay : Hist . Eng ., ch. xiv. 3. Faithful observance of the marriage contract. 4. Honesty, veracity, observance of and adherence to the truth. "By my fidelity , this is not well."-Shakesp.: Merry Wives of Windsor, iv. 2. *5. Security, a urance. "Some one of that facultie, who giueth his fidelitie for them." Whitgift : Defense , p. 137. For the difference between fidelity and faith , see FAITH. Fi-dēş, s . [Lat.] 1. Cla . Myth .: The godde of Faith and Honesty. 2. Astron.: An asteroid, the thirty-seventh found. It was discovered by the astronomer Luther on Oct. 5, 1855, the same date that A talant a was first seen by Goldschmidt.