ethical

American  

[eth-i-kuhl] / ˈɛθ ɪ kəl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.

2. 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.

   Synonyms:

   honorable, virtuous, righteous, honest, upright, moral

   Antonyms:

   immoral

3. (of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription.

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ethical British  

/ ˈɛθɪkəl /

adjective

1. in accordance with principles of conduct that are considered correct, esp those of a given profession or group

2. of or relating to ethics

3. (of a medicinal agent) available legally only with a doctor's prescription or consent

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Other Word Forms

• ethicality noun
• ethically adverb
• ethicalness noun
• hyperethical adjective
• nonethical adjective
• pseudoethical adjective
• superethical adjective
• unethical adjective

Etymology

Origin of ethical

First recorded in 1600–10; ethic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Inside the army, commercial exports of weapons at a time of war present an ethical dilemma.

From Barron's

This study did not seek to answer the "legal and ethical" question of compensation, said Marshall Burke, a professor at Stanford University and the study's lead author.

From Barron's

Miller, who died in 2012, was a labor history buff who realized that highly skilled workers often developed elaborate ethical codes that promoted solidarity with other employees.

From Los Angeles Times

Kaplan defined God as a spiritual and ethical power that exists within us and that urges us to do good in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal

So I’m left wondering: How is it considered ethical?

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• good
• honest
• honorable
• humane
• moral
• principled
• proper
• virtuous