ethical

[eth-i-kuhl]

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.

ethical

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethical¹

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

Example Sentences

“Using AI to create ‘deepnude’ style images raises ethical considerations,” the company states on its website.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Allowing millions of human beings to live -- and die -- victims of hunger is a collective failure, an ethical aberration, a historical sin," Leo said in a speech at the Rome-based UN agricultural agency.

Read more on Barron's

"This decision to allow Gatwick's expansion makes no economic or ethical sense, so we must challenge it through the legal process."

Read more on BBC

"There was a collective failure to exercise ethical judgment about the purpose of undercover policing and the propriety of reporting on family justice campaigns," he said.

Read more on BBC

Mr Kertesz explained as Lira did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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