# true

> English word · Adjective · IPA /tɹuː/ · frequency rank #393

## Definitions
1. Conforming to the actual state of reality or fact; factually correct.
2. Conforming to the actual state of reality or fact; factually correct.
3. Conforming to a rule or pattern; exact; accurate.
4. Of the state in Boolean logic that indicates an affirmative or positive result.
5. Loyal, faithful.
6. Genuine; legitimate; valid; sensu stricto.
7. Genuine; legitimate; valid; sensu stricto.
8. Accurate; following a path toward the target.
9. Correctly aligned or calibrated, without deviation.
10. Fair, unbiased, not loaded.
11. based on actual historical events.

## Etymology
From Middle English trewe, from Old English trīewe, (Mercian) trēowe (“trusty, faithful”), from Proto-Germanic *triwwiz (compare Saterland Frisian trjou (“honest”), Dutch getrouw and trouw, German treu, Norwegian and Swedish trygg (“safe, secure’”)), from pre-Germanic *drewh₂yos, from Proto-Indo-European *drewh₂- (“steady, firm”) (compare Irish dearbh (“sure”), Old Prussian druwis (“faith”), Ancient Greek δροόν (droón, “firm”)), extension of *dóru (“tree”) (possibly also Proto-Slavic *sъdorvъ (“healthy”) from the same root). More at tree. For the semantic development, compare Latin robustus (“tough”) from robur (“red oak”).

## Easily confused with
- **Tu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tu)
- **try** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-try)
- **tub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tub)
- **tug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tug)
- **Tue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tue)
- **tum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tum)
- **tun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tun)
- **tut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tut)
- **tse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tse)
- **tux** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tux)
- **tui** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tui)
- **tur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tur)
- **tye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tye)
- **TUC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tuc)
- **Tsu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tsu)
- **type** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-type)
- **tube** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tube)
- **tune** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tune)
- **tyre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tyre)
- **Tyne** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-tyne)

## Common misspellings (5)
`rtue`, `treu`, `trrue`, `ttrue`, `ture`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/true