Definition Essay: What Does The Word Loyalty Mean?

What does the word “loyalty” mean? Today, it seems to be many different perceptions and definitions for this special term. Most people considers loyalty to be defined as respect, honesty, love and patience. In my opinion, loyalty means to be honest with yourself before promising commitment, honesty, and/or faithfulness to others. While in the Oxford English dictionary, the meaning of loyalty is Faithful adherence to one's promise, oath, word of honor, conjugal faithfulness and/or fidelity. So which definition is the true meaning of loyalty?
Loyalty is a complicated concept which can be interpreted in many points of views. It is related to many other terms such as family, relationships, and friendships. There is loyalty within family because

there should be no one else who would come before them. Most of the time, they are the ones who will love greater than anyone else would. Loyalty from family should be quite obvious because even when things get tough, they will not turn their back on you. Loved ones should have good intentions and seek the best for one another. There is also loyalty in marriage when two partners come together and vow to love each other for better or for worse, for richer or for poor, for sickness and in health, and any other promises that they make to one another. Loyalty is also very important in friendships. Of course, there is no ceremony of oath vowing to be honest to that friend or committing ones friendship to another until death parts the two, but within a friendship there should be an understanding that “if you are my friend, act as my friend and always be honest and loyal to me as I will do the same for you.”
There is that one special ingredient that comes with loyalty. Before deciding to commit to someone, one must have some type of love for that person. Love, such as affection, cannot be present without trust. A healthy relationship can only be built on loyalty. By relationship, every kind of relativity is meant. Without loyalty, the concept of “family” should not be considered. I personally feel that loyalty cannot be a factor in a relationship without genuine love. Having a clear sense of someone’s loyalty can be revealed when tough situations arise in any relationship. To truly love someone is to stick by their side through thick and thin.
There is a difference between selfish loyalty and unselfish loyalty. Selfish loyalty may occur in a situation where one decides to be unfaithful to another because someone else is unfaithful to them. This is a person who only shows their faithfulness when it is to his or her own personal advantage and this is not genuine love. Unselfish loyalty is abiding by ones oath of faithfulness even when it is not being received back because their love and morals are strong, but this loyalty will disperse in time when people take advantage of it.
To what extent should we be loyal? It is important not to place your loyalty in the wrong people; this can cause a problematic relationship. When a connection is starting to fail because of lack of trust, it can cause emotional instability between two people and could possibly result in a failed relationship. When loyalty becomes one-sided between two people, I feel that this is when ones loyalty towards someone should come to a halt.
Loyalty is an essential part of any relationship because it allows us to respect those we care about and allows us to treat them with regard. It helps a relationship grow, it is heal