What does candour mean?
Word: Candour
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Candour means the quality of being open and honest about what you think, even when the truth is not easy to hear.
Synonyms: frankness, openness
Word origin: Comes from a Latin word meaning whiteness, through French.
How do you spell candour?
Syllables: can - dour
Tricky part: British English keeps a u in this word that American English leaves out, so learn the British form for a British paper.
Watch out for: candure, kandour
Memory tip: Candour and candid are close cousins from the same Latin root, and both open with the same four letters.
Candour in a sentence
Example 1: I valued my piano teacher's candour when she said my left hand still needed practice.
Example 2: The author spoke with great candour about the stories that were never published.
Example 3: With refreshing candour, the shopkeeper admitted that the cheaper umbrella was just as good.
Fun Fact
Candour shares its Latin root with candid and candidate. In ancient Rome, men seeking public office wore a toga whitened with chalk, and the Latin word for a person dressed in white gave English the word candidate.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the misspelt word:
a) allure
b) candure
c) grandeur
d) tenure
Show answer
b) candure. This noun keeps the British o-u-r ending: candour. Grandeur, tenure and allure are all spelt correctly.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its antonym:
1. candour 2. scarcity 3. modesty a. abundance b. dishonesty c. vanity
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
c) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
d) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
Show answer
d) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. Openness is the reverse of dishonesty, a shortage is the reverse of plenty, and a modest person is the opposite of a vain one.
Spell Probe
Find the misspelt word in the sentence and choose its meaning:
In her speech, the captain spoke with candour about the team's poor fitness and promised a tougher training shedule before the next tournament.
a) the leader of a team or a group
b) a plan that lists when things will happen
c) the state of being strong and healthy
d) a competition with many players or teams
Show answer
b) a plan that lists when things will happen. Shedule has lost the c after its s; schedule is the plan of training sessions.
Word Champ
Read the statements and choose the correct option:
1. A person who speaks with candour usually hides what they really feel. 2. A reverie is a pleasant daydream. 3. Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
a) all three are true
b) only 1 and 3
c) only 2 and 3
d) only 1
Show answer
c) only 2 and 3. Statement 1 has it backwards, since candour means saying what you feel; the other two are true.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Your friend asks, 'How is my painting?' Which reply shows candour?
a) Can we talk about something else instead?
b) I would rather not say anything about it.
c) The colours are lovely, but the sky looks rushed.
d) It is the best painting I have ever seen.
Show answer
c) The colours are lovely, but the sky looks rushed.
2. A newspaper praised the mayor's candour. What did the mayor most likely do?
a) admitted that a plan had failed
b) arrived late for the meeting
c) gave a very long speech
d) refused to answer any questions
Show answer
a) admitted that a plan had failed
