Adjacent Words

ethical definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of or relating to the philosophical study of ethics; "ethical codes"; "ethical theories"
2: conforming to accepted standards of social or professional behavior; "an ethical lawyer"; "ethical medical practice"; "an ethical problem"; "had no ethical objection to drinking"; "Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants"- Omar N. Bradley [ant: unethical]
3: adhering to ethical and moral principles; "it seems ethical and right"; "followed the only honorable course of action" [syn: ethical, honorable, honourable]

Merriam Webster's

also ethic adjective Etymology: Middle English etik, from Latin ethicus, from Greek ?thikos, from ?thos character — more at sib Date: 1588 1. of or relating to ethics <ethical theories> 2. involving or expressing moral approval or disapproval <ethical judgments> 3. conforming to accepted standards of conduct <ethical behavior> 4. of a drug restricted to sale only on a doctor's prescription Synonyms: see moral • ethicality noun • ethically adverb • ethicalness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 relating to morals, esp. as concerning human conduct. 2 morally correct; honourable. 3 (of a medicine or drug) not advertised to the general public, and usu. available only on a doctor's prescription. Derivatives: ethicality n. ethically adv.

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

1. Ethical means relating to beliefs about right and wrong. ...the medical, nursing and ethical issues surrounding terminally-ill people. ADJ: usu ADJ n • ethically Attorneys are ethically and legally bound to absolute confidentiality. ADV: ADV adj/-ed, ADV after v 2. If you describe something as ethical, you mean that it is morally right or morally acceptable. ...ethical investment schemes... ADJ • ethically Mayors want local companies to behave ethically. ADV: ADV after v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. Moral.

Moby Thesaurus

Christian, axiological, blameless, clean, conscientious, correct, creditable, decent, deferential, duteous, dutiful, elevated, erect, estimable, ethological, fair, full of integrity, good, high-minded, high-principled, highly respectable, honest, honorable, immaculate, inviolate, irreproachable, just, law-abiding, law-loving, law-revering, manly, moral, moralistic, noble, obedient, observant, open, principled, proper, pure, reputable, respectable, respectful, right, right-minded, righteous, scrupulous, spotless, stainless, sterling, straightforward, true-dealing, true-devoted, true-disposing, true-souled, true-spirited, truehearted, unblemished, uncorrupt, uncorrupted, undefiled, unimpeachable, unspotted, unstained, unsullied, untarnished, upright, uprighteous, upstanding, virtuous, worthy, yeomanly