Adjacent Words

Ethic definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ETH'IC
ETH'ICAL, a. [L. ethicus; Gr. manners.]
Relating to manners or morals; treating of morality; delivering precepts of morality; as ethic discourses or epistles.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group; "the Puritan ethic"; "a person with old-fashioned values" [syn: ethic, moral principle, value-system, value orientation]
2: a system of principles governing morality and acceptable conduct [syn: ethic, ethical code]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English ethik, from Middle French ethique, from Latin ethice, from Greek ?thik?, from ?thikos Date: 14th century 1. plural but singular or plural in construction the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation 2. a. a set of moral principles ; a theory or system of moral values <the present-day materialistic ethic> <an old-fashioned work ethic> — often used in plural but sing. or plural in constr. <an elaborate ethics> <Christian ethics> b. plural but singular or plural in construction the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group <professional ethics> c. a guiding philosophy d. a consciousness of moral importance <forge a conservation ethic> 3. plural a set of moral issues or aspects (as rightness) <debated the ethics of human cloning>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & adj. --n. a set of moral principles (the Quaker ethic). --adj. = ETHICAL. Etymology: ME f. OF éthique or L ethicus f. Gk ethikos (as ETHOS)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ethic Eth"ic, Ethical Eth"ic*al, a. [L. ethicus, Gr. ?, fr. ? custom, usage, character, dwelling; akin to ? custom, Goth. sidus, G. sitte, Skr. svadh?, prob. orig., one's own doing; sva self + dh? to set: cf. F. ['e]thique. See So, Do.] Of, or belonging to, morals; treating of the moral feelings or duties; containing percepts of morality; moral; as, ethic discourses or epistles; an ethical system; ethical philosophy. The ethical meaning of the miracles. --Trench. Ethical dative (Gram.), a use of the dative of a pronoun to signify that the person or thing spoken of is regarded with interest by some one; as, Quid mihi Celsus agit? How does my friend Celsus do?

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(ethics) 1. Ethics are moral beliefs and rules about right and wrong. Refugee workers said such action was a violation of medical ethics. N-PLURAL 2. Someone's ethics are the moral principles about right and wrong behaviour which they believe in. He told the police that he had thought honestly about the ethics of what he was doing. N-PLURAL: with supp 3. Ethics is the study of questions about what is morally right and wrong. ...the teaching of ethics and moral philosophy. N-UNCOUNT 4. An ethic of a particular kind is an idea or moral belief that influences the behaviour, attitudes, and philosophy of a group of people. ...the ethic of public service. ...an indomitable work ethic and determination to succeed. N-SING: with supp