different between firm vs loyal

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /f??m/, [f?m]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /f??m/
• Rhymes: -??(?)m

Etymology 1

From Italian firma (“signature”), from firmare (“to sign”), from Latin firmare (“to make firm, to confirm (by signature)”), from firmus (“firm, stable”). The contemporary sense developed in the 18th century simultaneously with German Firma (“business, name of business”). There are conflicting statements in the literature as to which of the two languages influenced which.

Noun

firm (plural firms)

1. (Britain, business) A business partnership; the name under which it trades.
2. (business, economics) A business enterprise, however organized.
3. (slang) A criminal gang, especially based around football hooliganism.

Derived terms

• The Firm

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English ferme, from Old French ferme, from Latin firmus (“strong, steady”). Doublet of dharma.

Adjective

firm (comparative firmer, superlative firmest)

1. Steadfast, secure, solid (in position)

2. Fixed (in opinion)
   • He was firm that selling his company would a good choice and didn't let anyone talk him out of it.
3. Durable, rigid (material state)

   firm flesh; firm muscles, firm wood; firm land (i.e. not soft and marshy)

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

firm (third-person singular simple present firms, present participle firming, simple past and past participle firmed)

1. (transitive) To make firm or strong; fix securely.
2. (transitive) To make compact or resistant to pressure; solidify.
3. (intransitive) To become firm; stabilise.
4. (intransitive) To improve after decline.
5. (intransitive, Australia) To shorten (of betting odds).
6. (transitive, Britain, slang) To select (a higher education institution) as one's preferred choice, so as to enrol automatically if one's grades match the conditional offer.

Translations

Further reading

• Firm in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Anagrams

• FRIM, fMRI, frim

German

Etymology

From Latin firmus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f??m/

Adjective

firm (comparative firmer, superlative am firmsten)

1. (somewhat dated) experienced, well versed

Declension

Further reading

• “firm” in Duden online

Polish

Noun

firm f

1. genitive plural of firma

Zoogocho Zapotec

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Spanish firma.

Noun

firm

1. signature

Derived terms

• chgo?o firm
• cho?o firm

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish firme.

Adjective

firm

1. firm, fixed

References

• Long C., Rebecca; Cruz M., Sofronio (2000) Diccionario zapoteco de San Bartolomé Zoogocho, Oaxaca (Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas “Mariano Silva y Aceves”; 38)?^[2] (in Spanish), second electronic edition, Coyoacán, D.F.: Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, A.C., pages 220

English

Alternative forms

• loyall (obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French loyal, from Old French loial, leial, leal, from Latin l?g?lis. Doublet of legal and leal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?l???l/
• Rhymes: -???l

Adjective

loyal (comparative loyaler or loyaller, superlative loyalest or loyallest)

1. Having or demonstrating undivided and constant support for someone or something.
2. Firm in allegiance to a person or institution.
3. Faithful to a person or cause.

Antonyms

• disloyal
• fickle
• treacherous

Derived terms

• loyal toast
• loyally
• loyalist

Related terms

• loyalty

Translations

Anagrams

• Yolla, alloy, yallo

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from French loyal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /løja?l/, [l??jæ??l]

Adjective

loyal

1. loyal

Inflection

Derived terms

• illoyal
• loyalitet

French

Etymology

From Old French loial (with various alternative forms: leial, leal, loyel) from Latin l?g?lis. Equivalent to loi +? -al. Doublet of légal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lwa.jal/
• Homophones: loyale, loyales

Adjective

loyal (feminine singular loyale, masculine plural loyaux, feminine plural loyales)

1. loyal

Related terms

• loi
• loyauté

References

Further reading

• “loyal” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French loyal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lo?ja?l/, /lo?a?ja?l/

Adjective

loyal (comparative loyaler, superlative am loyalsten)

1. loyal

Declension

Antonyms

• illoyal

Related terms

• Loyalist
• Loyalität

Further reading

• “loyal” in Duden online

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French loial.

Adjective

loyal m (feminine singular loyale, masculine plural loyaux, feminine plural loyales)

1. loyal

Descendants

• French: loyal

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (loial, supplement)