Editing Truth (section)

==Etymology and ordinary usage==
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The English word ''truth'' is derived from [[Old English]] {{lang|ang|triewth}}, [[Middle English]] {{lang|enm|trewthe}}, as a ''-th'' nominalisation of the adjective ''true'' (Old English {{lang|ang|treowe}}). In ordinary usage, the word may denote either a quality of "faithfulness, fidelity, loyalty, sincerity, veracity",<ref>[[OED]] on ''true'' has "Steadfast in adherence to a commander or friend, to a principle or cause, to one's promises, faith, etc.; firm in allegiance; faithful, loyal, constant, trusty; honest, honourable, upright, virtuous, trustworthy; free from deceit, sincere, truthful" besides "Conformity with fact; agreement with reality; accuracy, correctness, verity; Consistent with fact; agreeing with the reality; representing the thing as it is; real, genuine; rightly answering to the description; properly so called; not counterfeit, spurious, or imaginary."</ref><ref name = Merriam-Webster-def/> or that of "agreement with fact or reality".

The adjective, cognate with German {{lang|de|treu}} 'faithful', stems from [[Proto-Germanic]] ''*trewwj-'' 'having [[good faith]]', and perhaps ultimately from [[Proto-Indo-European]] ''{{PIE|*dru-}}'' 'tree', on the notion of "steadfast as an oak" ({{cf.}}[[Sanskrit]] {{tlit|sa|dā́ru}} '(piece of) wood';<ref name="Truth from Online Etymology">{{cite dictionary|title=Truth|url=http://www.etymonline.com/|access-date=2013-11-27|archive-date=2007-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713125946/http://www.etymonline.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Old Norse]] {{lang|nos|trú}} 'faith, word of honour, belief').<ref name=":0">''[http://www.northvegr.org/zoega/h442.php A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210807/http://www.northvegr.org/zoega/h442.php|date=2007-09-30}}'', [[Geir T. Zoëga]] (1910), Northvegr.org</ref>