ethical
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.
-
being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, especially the standards of a profession.
It was not considered ethical for physicians to advertise.
- Antonyms:
- immoral
-
(of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription.
adjective
-
in accordance with principles of conduct that are considered correct, esp those of a given profession or group
-
of or relating to ethics
-
(of a medicinal agent) available legally only with a doctor's prescription or consent
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of ethical
Explanation
For someone who is honest and follows good moral standards, use the adjective ethical. An ethical teacher will grade your papers honestly — even if she catches you sticking your tongue out at her. Ethical comes from the Greek ethos "moral character" and describes a person or behavior as right in the moral sense - truthful, fair, and honest. Sometimes the word is used for people who follow the moral standards of their profession. An ethical lawyer or doctor does not try to take advantage of the client or patient's unfortunate situation. If something has happened and you are not sure what the right thing to do is, you are having an ethical dilemma.
Vocabulary lists containing ethical
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
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Achievement First 7th Grade IA 1 Words
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Excerpts from "To Kill a Mockingbird"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jane Andersen, Arizona state leader for Mormon Women for Ethical Government, said she is concerned residents and small businesses will end up subsidizing the power needs of data centers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says weight-pull competitions exploit a dog’s desire to make people happy but puts dogs at risk of muscle strain and joint damage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025
Johnstone said such allegations would typically be investigated initially by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland, an independent watchdog appointed by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.
From BBC • Sep. 19, 2025
A 2015 investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals documented the practices at one hermit crab supplier in Orlando, Florida, where thousands of crabs were packed into pens.
From Slate • Aug. 19, 2025
If you’re someone who was sent to the Ethical Culture School, then you aren’t going to be intimidated by a row of Cambridge dons arrayed in judgment against you.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
