moral

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Relating to what is right and wrong in people's behavior.

   Lying to a friend raises a difficult moral question.

2. 2
   adj

   Behaving in a way that is considered good and right.

   She is a deeply moral person who always keeps her promises.

3. 3
   noun

   A lesson about right and wrong that a story teaches.

   The moral of the story is that honesty is always best.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Moral comes through Latin moralis from mos “custom,” whose plural mores meant “morals.” As a noun, it was first used in English to translate Moralia, the Latin title of St Gregory the Great’s exposition of the Book of Job, and was later applied to works by classical writers.

From Middle English moral, from Old French moral, from Latin mōrālis (“relating to manners or morals”) (first used by Cicero, to translate Ancient Greek ἠθικός (ēthikós, “moral”)), from mos (“manner, custom”).

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