loyal
- Always supporting and being true to a friend, group, or belief, even when things get hard.
In a sentence
- A loyal friend will stand by you even when everyone else walks away.
- The soldiers remained loyal to their commander throughout the difficult campaign.
Usage note. 'Loyal' is typically followed by 'to' when indicating the object of loyalty—say 'loyal to her team,' not 'loyal with her team.'
Where it comes from
English loyal · entered English 16th c.
From Old French 'loial' or 'leial,' meaning 'legal' or 'faithful to one's obligations,' which derived from Latin 'legalis,' meaning 'of the law,' from 'lex' (genitive 'legis') meaning 'law.' It entered English in the 16th century; the connection between law and faithfulness reflected the idea of keeping one's sworn duties.