ethos
Americannoun
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Sociology. the fundamental character or spirit of a culture; the underlying sentiment that informs the beliefs, customs, or practices of a group or society; dominant assumptions of a people or period.
In the Greek ethos the individual was highly valued.
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the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc.
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the moral element in dramatic literature that determines a character's action rather than their thought or emotion.
noun
Usage
What does ethos mean? The ethos of a culture or society is its collective spirit or character—the fundamental or underlying beliefs and attitudes that influence its customs and practices. Things sometimes said to have an ethos include countries (the American ethos of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), cultures and subcultures (the punk ethos), and eras in time (the counterculture ethos of the ’60s). The word can also refer collectively to such beliefs and attitudes in a person. The term ethos is also used as the name of a particular method of persuasion in which a person relies on their credibility or character when making an appeal or an argument. In this context, it is often discussed alongside logos (an appeal to logic) and pathos (an appeal to emotion). Example: Our company ethos is based on creating a space where people of all backgrounds feel welcome and valued in the workplace.
Etymology
Origin of ethos
First recorded in 1850–55; from Latin ēthos “character, portrayal of character,” from Greek êthos “custom, habit, disposition character”
Compare meaning
How does ethos compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Paul W. Downs, who created the series alongside Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky, said the finale encapsulates the ethos of the entire five-season project.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
Upon that appointment, Hegseth described him as "a generational leader" who will "help ensure the Army revives the warrior ethos, rebuilds for the modern battlefield, and deters our enemies around the world".
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
They arguably haven’t lived up to the company’s customer-driven ethos either.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
“The Silicon Valley ethos of ‘the old industry is totally cooked’ or something like that—it is just not true at all in music,” Shulman says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026
They separate the community, contributing to the ineffable sense that something familiar and precious about the ethos of the island is disappearing.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
