Meaning

adjective not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

adjective without dissimulation; frank

adjective worthy of being depended on

originFrom Middle English honest, honeste (“honourable, appropriate, excellent”), from Old French honeste, from Latin honestus, from honor. For the verb, see Latin honestāre (“to clothe or adorn with honour”), and compare French honester. Displaced native Old English sōþfæst (literally “truth-firm”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0