source: By Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952) photographer - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs divisionunder the digital ID cph.3a16954.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information., Public Domain

FIDELITY, ALLEGIANCE, FEALTY, LOYALTY, DEVOTION, PIETY mean faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty.

FIDELITY implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.

e.g. marital fidelity

ALLEGIANCE suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.

e.g. pledging allegiance

FEALTY implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.

e.g. fealty to the truth

LOYALTY implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.

e.g. valued the loyalty of his friends

DEVOTION stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.

e.g. a painter's devotion to her art

PIETY stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.

e.g. filial piety

loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause:

｟かたく｠ 【国家･主義などに対する】忠誠(心), 忠実さ; 支持, 献身(loyalty) «to»

e.g. those wishing to receive citizenship must swear allegiance to the republic

e.g. a complex pattern of cross-party allegiances.

late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, variant of Old French ligeance, from lige, liege (see liege), perhaps by association with Anglo-Latin alligantia ‘alliance’.