loyalty

[loi-uh l-tee] /ˈlɔɪ əl ti/
noun, plural loyalties.
1.
the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.
2.
faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc.
3.
an example or instance of faithfulness, adherence, or the like:
a man with fierce loyalties.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English loialte < Middle French. See loyal, -ty2
Related forms
nonloyalty, noun, plural nonloyalties.
overloyalty, noun, plural overloyalties.
unloyalty, noun, plural unloyalties.
Synonyms
2. fealty, devotion, constancy. Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that one holds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. Allegiance applies particularly to a citizen's duty to his or her country, or, by extension, one's obligation to support a party, cause, leader, etc. Fidelity implies unwavering devotion and allegiance to a person, principle, etc.
Antonyms
1, 2. faithlessness.
Examples from the web for loyalty
  • One intriguing tool for either identifying outbreaks or alerting customers to recalls is grocery store customer loyalty cards.
  • They are not considered pets, though they are admired for their loyalty and valued for their courage.
  • More common characteristics such as loyalty, tenaciousness, or the instinct to herd clearly have genetic underpinnings.
  • Their howl is astonishing and their loyalty is pure.
  • Their loyalty to truth, and their labor and expenditure rest on real foundations, and not on a national church.
  • Not many poems called forth by the intensities of our war period so well embody the strong loyalty engendered by the struggle.
  • At this point the allegory gave an opening to loyalty-or, if one pleases, adulation.
  • Apple has positioned itself in a niche premium market with significant customer loyalty.
  • Games are being used to train and manage employees, as well as to encourage customer loyalty and reduce health-care costs.
  • Shrewd companies tap this culture to foster consumer loyalty and generate low-cost content.
British Dictionary definitions for loyalty

loyalty

/ˈlɔɪəltɪ/
noun (pl) -ties
1.
the state or quality of being loyal
2.
(often pl) a feeling of allegiance
Word Origin and History for loyalty
n.

c.1400, from Old French loialté, leauté "loyalty, fidelity; legitimacy; honesty; good quality" (Modern French loyauté), from loial (see loyal). Earlier leaute (mid-13c.), from the older French form. Loyalty oath first attested 1852.