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ethical

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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English

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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”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɛθɪkəl/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

ethical (comparative more ethical, superlative most ethical)

  1. (philosophy, not comparable) Of or relating to the study of ethics.
    The philosopher Kant is particularly known for his ethical writings.
  2. (not comparable) Of or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession.
    All employees must familiarize themselves with our ethical guidelines.
    • 2018 December 3, Tara John, “Veganism could get the same legal protections as religion”, in CNN‎:
      An angry dispute between an animal welfare charity and its former employee will be the first case in Britain to decide whether ethical veganism is a “philosophical belief” that should be afforded the same protections as religion.
  3. (comparable) Morally approvable; good.
    We are trying to decide what the most ethical course of action would be.
  4. (of a drug, not comparable) Only dispensed on the prescription of a physician.
    In most jurisdictions, morphine is classified as an ethical drug.

Coordinate terms

  • moral (often differentiated on the basis of a distinction between societally conventional and innately righteous)

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Noun

ethical (plural ethicals)

  1. An ethical drug, one only dispensed on the prescription of a physician.

References

Anagrams

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