Candor comes from Latin candēre, meaning "to shine or glow." That origin is reflected in the word's early uses referring to brightness or unstained purity and innocence, which are the sources of today's familiar use of candor for unquestionably honest expression.
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Candor: It Can Be Refreshing
Candor, related to the adjective candid, refers to straightforward honesty or frankness in speech or expression. The fact that it is frequently preceded by the adjective refreshing suggests that it is often unexpected, a shift from guarded or euphemistic language:
This is perhaps the busiest and craziest time of the year for device-case maker Brian Holmes, and he told me today with refreshing candor that “I am about to lose my mind.” Julio Ojeda-Zapata, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 9 Sept. 2016
They are openly afraid of starting a family and making mistakes, and this refreshing candor between characters is what makes the show one of the best rom-coms on TV. Julia Edelman, People, 8 Apr. 2016
But a more subtle, and perhaps the most powerful, quality in the Senator's arsenal of attractions is an unrelenting candor that verges on self-reproach … Joe Klein, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2002People are human; they are fallible. I concede with painful candor and a heavy heart that the adage applies to me and to my generation of American leadership regarding Vietnam. Robert S. McNamara, In Retrospect, 1995… thoughtful critics lamented what they designated Roosevelt's deviousness, his lack of candor … Doris Kearns Goodwin, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 1994One hardly knows which to admire more, the candor of the author or the forbearance of his wife and his buddy, who somehow manage to refrain from cuffing him smartly upside the head. Jay McInerney, New York Times Book Review, 31 Mar. 1991 She spoke with candor about racism. I was impressed by the candor of his statement. See More
Recent Examples on the WebDevlin also stated there was reason to question Strothers’ candor. Mike Mavredakis, Hartford Courant, 9 Sep. 2022 More honest candor would have been better for America’s trust in public-health authorities. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 22 Aug. 2022 There is a dark wit embedded in such candor, a monster that maybe lurks inside all of us. Nathan Deuel, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2022 His supporters may find his candor refreshing; his critics see a man comfortable making others cringe. Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 2022 But this also goes back to the candor of the Heat and of coach Erik Spoelstra that the team is not right for everyone. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2022 Fallon then dove right into his theories, tripping over his words with the candor of a mad scientist explaining his life’s work. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 13 May 2022 Such fodder, when told by Caldwell with the casual but hard-bitten candor of a bar conversation, makes for a beloved It Girl.Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022 Through the candor of his verses and the visual sharpness of his music videos, Deshawn’s music reflects on the many seasons of his own creative journey. Tomas Miriti Pacheco, SPIN, 31 Mar. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
French & Latin; French candeur, from Latin candor, from candēre — more at candid