ethical

[eth-i-kuhl]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ethical ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

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

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.

(of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription.

Origin of ethical

First recorded in 1600–10; ethic + -al¹

Related formseth·i·cal·ly, adverbeth·i·cal·i·ty, eth·i·cal·ness, nounhy·per·eth·i·cal, adjectivehy·per·eth·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·eth·i·cal, adjectivenon·eth·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·eth·i·cal·ness, nounpseu·do·eth·i·cal, adjectivepseu·do·eth·i·cal·ly, adverbsu·per·eth·i·cal, adjectivesu·per·eth·i·cal·ly, adverbun·eth·i·cal, adjective

Synonyms for ethical

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ethical ON THESAURUS.COM

2. moral, upright, honest, righteous, virtuous, honorable.

Antonyms for ethical

2. immoral.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for ethicality

code, ethicalness, ethics, moral, morality, principle, principles

British Dictionary definitions for ethicality

ethical

adjective

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

of or relating to ethics

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

Derived Formsethically, adverbethicalness or ethicality, noun

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

Word Origin and History for ethicality

ethical

adj.

c.1600, "pertaining to morality," from ethic + -al (1). Related: Ethicality; ethically.

ethicality in Medicine

ethical

[ĕth′ĭ-kəl]

adj.

Of, relating to, or dealing with ethics.

Being in accordance with the accepted principles of right and wrong that govern the conduct of a profession.