ethic
Americannoun
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ethics
plural
-
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.
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a complex of moral precepts held or rules of conduct followed by an individual.
a personal ethic.
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ethic
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English ethic, etic, from Latin ēthicus, from Greek ēthikós, equivalent to êth(os) ethos + -ikos -ic
Explanation
An ethic is framework, or guiding principle, and it's often moral. People with a strong work ethic believe that hard work is a good thing in and of itself. A social ethic might include "treating people as you want to be treated." Used in the plural, ethics refers to the moral rules that you live by. You can use it generally, as in: "my ethics don’t include cheating." Or you can use it specifically, as in: "Slander and the running of negative ads do not seem to contradict the senator’s political ethics."
Vocabulary lists containing ethic
The Suffix -ic, Part 1
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Outliers
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Life Is So Good
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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.
See Examples For:
She said the kind of work ethic needed to grow an organization such as hers meant it was challenging to take time off.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel noted with a half-smile that because Max is “definitely not the most athletic in his family,” his work ethic is “astronomically higher” than most.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Seydou spent early 2023 with Colorado, whose tight ends coach called him out during a news conference, questioning his "toughness" and work ethic.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The comedian later said his father's work ethic greatly influenced his approach to his own career.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
It’s a lot of effort, and it seems to me that without my work ethic, you’d be screwed.
From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen
The Clarity Act has stalled, driven in part by disagreements over ethics language that would prohibit government officials from profiting off digital assets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Under his tenure, the commission staff has worked rigorously to enforce the toughest local ethics laws in the nation, including a gift ban and restrictions on lobbyists.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Continue to apply to jobs that align with your ethics.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
Asked for comment, a White House official said the administration told the GAO that all employees had to complete ethics training and follow financial disclosure requirements.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
In that one book she had her history and her poetry, her knowledge of peoples and things, her ethics, her morals, and her salvation.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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.
