ethical

C1 Topic:Ethics & Social Judgment

US /ˈɛθɪkəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #11760

Meanings

1

adj
Morally right; following accepted principles of good behaviour.

We are trying to decide what the most ethical course of action would be.
2

adj
Relating to the accepted rules of conduct in a profession or organization.

All employees must familiarize themselves with our ethical guidelines.
3

adj
Relating to the study of ethics and moral philosophy.

The philosopher Kant is particularly known for his ethical writings.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · morally right; following... honorable honourable

Word family

Derived forms anethicalastroethicalbioethicalcyberethicalethicalismethicalityethicallyethicalnessethifyhyperethicalmeta-ethicalmetaethical

Related forms ethic ethics ethos

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Etymology

From ethic + -al, from Late Latin ethicus (“moral, ethical”), from Ancient Greek ἠθικός (ēthikós, “of or for morals, moral, expressing character”), from ἦθος (êthos, “character, moral nature”).

*dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European ethicus la-lat ἠθικός Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Ethics & Social Judgment Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# ethical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈɛθɪkəl/
**Frequency rank:** 11760

## Meanings
1. Morally right; following accepted principles of good behaviour.
2. Relating to the accepted rules of conduct in a profession or organization.
3. Relating to the study of ethics and moral philosophy.

## Examples
- We are trying to decide what the most ethical course of action would be.
- All employees must familiarize themselves with our ethical guidelines.
- The philosopher Kant is particularly known for his ethical writings.

## Derived Forms
- anethical
- astroethical
- bioethical
- cyberethical
- ethicalism
- ethicality
- ethically
- ethicalness
- ethify
- hyperethical
- meta-ethical
- metaethical

## Related Forms
- ethic
- ethics
- ethos

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *dʰeh₁-
- Root: ethicus
- Root: ἠθικός

## Etymology
From ethic + -al, from Late Latin ethicus (“moral, ethical”), from Ancient Greek ἠθικός (ēthikós, “of or for morals, moral, expressing character”), from ἦθος (êthos, “character, moral nature”).

## AI Etymology
Ethical is from ethic + -al, from Late Latin ethicus (“moral, ethical”), from Ancient Greek ἠθικός (ēthikós, “of or for morals, moral, expressing character”), from ἦθος (êthos, “character, moral nature”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean morally right; following accepted principles of good behaviour, or relating to the accepted rules of conduct in a profession or organization. Related forms include ethic, ethics, ethos. Derived formations include anethical, astroethical, bioethical, cyberethical, ethicalism.

## Topics
- Ethics & Social Judgment
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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