fedele

/feˈde.le/adjective · masculine / nounB2

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Meaning · adjective

loyal, faithful, true, devoted

Il cane è sempre fedele al suo padrone.
The dog is always loyal to its owner.

Sei stato fedele alla tua promessa?
Have you stayed true to your promise?

Questa copia non è fedele all'originale.
This copy is not faithful to the original.

Word forms (4)

Use fedele for loyalty to people, causes, or brands; leale is more about fair, honorable behavior in relationships or competition.
For translations, fedele often means close to the original: una traduzione fedele. Accurate can also be preciso or accurato, depending on context.
It agrees in gender and number: fedele, fedeli. Don't confuse it with English-looking forms like fidel or with faith-related fede.

believer, faithful, devotee

La domenica la chiesa si riempie di fedeli.
On Sundays the church fills with worshippers.

Il sacerdote ha benedetto tutti i fedeli presenti.
The priest blessed all the worshippers present.

Molti fedeli visitano questo santuario ogni anno.
Many believers visit this sanctuary every year.

Word forms (2)

Word	Word forms
fedele	masculine · singular
fedeli	masculine · plural

As a noun, fedele is often collective in church contexts: i fedeli = the congregation or believers.
Do not confuse noun fedele with the adjective fedele meaning loyal or faithful; context and articles usually make it clear.
For a committed supporter of a cause or leader, seguace or sostenitore may sound more natural than fedele.