moralist

[ mawr-uh-list, mor- ]

/ ˈmɔr ə lɪst, ˈmɒr- /

noun

a person who teaches or inculcates morality.

a philosopher concerned with the principles of morality.

a person who practices morality.

a person concerned with regulating the morals of others, as by imposing censorship.

Nearby words

Origin of moralist

First recorded in 1615–25; moral + -ist

Related forms

mor·al·is·tic, adjectivemor·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverban·ti·mor·al·ist, noun, adjectivean·ti·mor·al·is·tic, adjective

o·ver·mor·al·is·tic, adjectivepseu·do·mor·al·is·tic, adjectivequa·si-mor·al·is·tic, adjectivequa·si-mor·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbsem·i·mor·al·is·tic, adjectiveun·mor·al·is·tic, adjective

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

Examples from the Web for moralist

On Monday, Crist tried to play the moralist, saying, “When people lie and steal, there is a price to pay.”
Sleaze and Scandal in the Sunshine State GOP|John Avlon|February 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Just as in their politics, when it comes to process, Romney versus Santorum is a fight between the technocrat and the moralist.
The Technocrat and the Moralist Square Off|Election Oracle|March 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Those who live by junk journalism, the moralist in me proclaims, shall die by junk journalism.
How British Tabloids Lost Their Way|Howard Jacobson|July 22, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The grandson of a Scottish Presbyterian minister, Murdoch fancies himself something of a moralist.
Murdoch's Italian Offensive|Conrad Black|June 10, 2009|DAILY BEAST

As a moralist Dumas fils took himself very seriously indeed.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 8|Various
No moralist contends that one who has received a favor from a public woman is under obligation to become her husband.
The Brothers' War|John Calvin Reed
What the moralist asks is, Shall we gain or lose by surrendering human life to the relative spirit?
English Critical Essays|Various
The contention that the stories are creepy is but the contention of a moralist.
Literature for Children|Orton Lowe
A moralist he must be, if his work is to have any far-reaching significance, any final value.
Inquiries and Opinions|Brander Matthews

British Dictionary definitions for moralist

moralist

/ (ˈmɒrəlɪst) /

noun

a person who seeks to regulate the morals of others or to imbue others with a sense of morality

a person who lives in accordance with moral principles

a philosopher who is concerned with casuistic discussions of right action, or who seeks a general characterization of right action, often contrasted with a moral philosopher whose concern is with general philosophical questions about ethics

Derived Formsmoralistic, adjectivemoralistically, adverb

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 moralist

moralist

"moral person," 1620s; "teacher of morals," 1630s, from moral (adj.) + -ist.