English Reference
noun

loyalty

n.
US /ˈɫɔɪəɫti/ UK /lˈɔɪəlti/ loy·al·ty UK spelling loyalties, loyalty's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the feeling of being faithful and supporting someone or something even when things are difficult.

    the state or quality of being loyal; a strong feeling of support or allegiance to a person, group, or idea.

    Simple

    His loyalty to his friends meant he never shared their secrets with anyone else.

    In context

    The manager's unwavering loyalty to her staff earned her their respect and ensured high productivity during the company's restructuring.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'to'.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the habit of always buying the same brand or using the same shop.

    the tendency of a consumer to continue buying products from a specific brand or company.

    Simple

    I use my loyalty card every time I buy coffee to get a free drink.

    In context

    The airline introduced a new loyalty programme designed to incentivise frequent flyers with exclusive lounge access and priority boarding.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the compound 'loyalty card' or 'loyalty programme'.

Stephen’s obsequious loyalty to Sonya led it to deny Liang’s interview requests during her research phase.

The Guardian· 11 Aug 2026

I don’t see much evidence that young people today are growing up with that sense of kindness and courage and loyalty,” she says.

The Guardian· 18 Jul 2026

From Middle English loialte, borrowed from Old French loialte, loiauté (Modern loyauté) from loial + -té, equivalent to loyal + -ty.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old French loialte
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated