forthright

English

Etymology

From Old English forþriht (“direct, plain”); equivalent to forth (adverb) +‎ right (adjective). The adverb is from Old English forþrihte (“straightway, at once, plainly”), with the adverbial suffix -e.

Adjective

forthright (comparative more forthright, superlative most forthright)

1. Straightforward, not evasive, candid and direct.

   The witness was considered eminently credible thanks to her forthright answers.

2. Frank, outspoken.
3. Markedly simple.
4. Fixed, settled, decided.
5. (archaic) Proceeding straight forth.

Derived terms

• forthrightly
• forthrightness
• unforthright

Translations

straightforward; not evasive

• Bulgarian: прям (bg) (prjam), честен (bg) (česten), откровен (bg) (otkroven)
• Dutch: recht voor zijn raap, uitgesproken (nl)
• Greek: ειλικρινής (el) m (eilikrinís), μετά παρρησίας (metá parrisías)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Slovak: priamy, otvorný
• Swedish: rättfram (sv)

Adverb

forthright (comparative more forthright, superlative most forthright)

1. Expressly, frankly, unhesitatingly.
2. At once, forthwith.
3. Swiftly.
4. (archaic) Straight forward, in a straight direction.

Noun

forthright (plural forthrights)

1. (archaic) A straight path.
   • c. 1610-11 William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act III scene iii^[1]:

     Gonzalo: […] Here's a maze trod indeed / Through forth-rights and meanders !

References

• “forthright”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “forthright”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.