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

Ghiyam tangled with ethical questions before landing on the idea that the AI was a net positive, as long as “the intention for its use was pure.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The consumer critique of “Spent” is one that punches primarily sideways, highlighting how readily Alison betrays her own high ethical and political standards and how reflexively she uses an intellectual gloss to rationalize the betrayals.

From Salon

"Morally and in good conscience from an ethical perspective, I do not think I can continue to use this site," she said.

From BBC

But changing that approach would also raise numerous ethical questions.

From BBC

Studying this process directly in humans is difficult due to ethical and technical limitations on obtaining brain tissue.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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