Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: eornost

earnest

1 adjective
     
ear‧nest1
very serious and sincere:
a rather earnest young man
Matthews was in earnest conversation with a young girl.
an earnest desire to offer something useful to society
—earnestly adverb:
earnestly discussing politics
—earnestness noun [uncountable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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