moral

[ mawr-uhl, mor- ]
See synonyms for moral on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of, relating to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes.

  2. expressing or conveying truths or counsel as to right conduct, as a speaker or a literary work.

  1. founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities, enactment, or custom: moral obligations.

  2. capable of conforming to the rules of right conduct: a moral being.

  3. conforming to the rules of right conduct (opposed to immoral): a moral man.

  4. virtuous in sexual matters; chaste.

  5. of, relating to, or acting on the mind, feelings, will, or character: moral support.

  6. resting upon convincing grounds of probability; virtual: a moral certainty.

noun
  1. the moral teaching or practical lesson contained in a fable, tale, experience, etc.

  2. the embodiment or type of something.

  1. morals, principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct.

Origin of moral

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin mōrālis, equivalent to mōr- (stem of mōs) “usage, custom” + -ālis-al1

synonym study For moral

11. Morals, ethics refer to rules and standards of conduct and practice. Morals refers to generally accepted customs of conduct and right living in a society, and to the individual's practice in relation to these: the morals of our civilization. Ethics now implies high standards of honest and honorable dealing, and of methods used, especially in the professions or in business: ethics of the medical profession.

Other words for moral

Other words from moral

  • mor·al·less, adjective
  • an·ti·mor·al, adjective
  • hy·per·mor·al, adjective
  • hy·per·mor·al·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·mor·al, adjective
  • o·ver·mor·al·ly, adverb
  • pre·mor·al, adjective
  • pre·mor·al·ly, adverb
  • pseu·do·mor·al, adjective
  • quasi-moral, adjective
  • qua·si-mor·al·ly, adverb
  • su·per·mor·al, adjective
  • su·per·mor·al·ly, adverb
  • un·der·mor·al, adjective

Words that may be confused with moral

  • moral , morale (see synonym study at the current entry)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for moral

moral

/ (ˈmɒrəl) /


adjective
  1. concerned with or relating to human behaviour, esp the distinction between good and bad or right and wrong behaviour: moral sense

  2. adhering to conventionally accepted standards of conduct

  1. based on a sense of right and wrong according to conscience: moral courage; moral law

  2. having psychological rather than tangible effects: moral support

  3. having the effects but not the appearance of (victory or defeat): a moral victory; a moral defeat

  4. having a strong probability: a moral certainty

  5. law (of evidence, etc) based on a knowledge of the tendencies of human nature

noun
  1. the lesson to be obtained from a fable or event: point the moral

  2. a concise truth; maxim

  1. (plural) principles of behaviour in accordance with standards of right and wrong

Origin of moral

1
C14: from Latin mōrālis relating to morals or customs, from mōs custom

Derived forms of moral

  • morally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012