ethic

[eth-ik]

noun

1. the body of moral principles or values governing or distinctive of a particular culture or group.

   the Christian ethic; the tribal ethic of the Zuni.

2. a complex of moral precepts held or rules of conduct followed by an individual.

   a personal ethic.

ethic

/ ˈɛθɪk /

noun

1. a moral principle or set of moral values held by an individual or group

   the Puritan ethic

adjective

1. another word for ethical

Other Word Forms

• nonethic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethic¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English ethic, etic, from Latin ēthicus, from Greek ēthikós, equivalent to êth(os) ethos + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethic¹

C15: from Latin ēthicus, from Greek éthikos, from ēthos custom; see _ethos

Example Sentences

A physics teacher got him interested in the topic, he said, and a math teacher taught him rigor, work ethic and organization.

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Related: ‘This flies in the face of my morals and ethics’: My father cut my sisters out of his six-figure estate.

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Accounting-firm advisers have raised questions about the ethics of a firm entwined in private-equity work being owned by such an investor.

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When the Dallas Mavericks stunned the basketball world by trading Doncic midway through last season, general manager Nico Harrison questioned his fitness and work ethic.

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A Commerce Department spokesman said that Lutnick has “fully complied with the terms of his ethics agreement with respect to divestiture and recusals and will continue to do so.”

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Related Words

• fairness 
• integrity 
• moral 
• morality 
• principle 
• virtue