mores

American  

[mawr-eyz, -eez, mohr-] / ˈmɔr eɪz, -iz, ˈmoʊr- /

plural noun

Sociology.

1. folkways of central importance accepted without question and embodying the fundamental moral views of a group.

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mores British  

/ ˈmɔːreɪz /

plural noun

1. sociol the customs and conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group or society

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mores Cultural  

1. The customs and manners of a social group or culture. Mores often serve as moral guidelines for acceptable behavior but are not necessarily religious or ethical.

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Etymology

Origin of mores

1905–10; < Latin mōres, plural of mōs usage, custom

Compare meaning

How does mores compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• mores vs. folkways

Explanation

Mores are the customs, norms, and behaviors that are acceptable to a society or social group. If your personal morals are in disagreement with local mores, you should be prepared to be annoyed every time you read the local Letters to the Editor. Mores and morals have similar meanings — mores are the morals of a group or society itself. They are not necessarily based on written law and they can change. The mores of the Victorian era prescribed modesty for women. A Victorian traveling to our time would probably be shocked by current mores that allow women to wear shorts.

Example Sentences

Their ability to enact change depended on their willingness to defy current custom and mores.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

Language is an ideal prism through which a culture expresses its underlying mores.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

Greenland’s social environment is also different from Denmark’s — its Indigenous population, which has its own social mores, is larger as a proportion of the population, and residents are concentrated in the giant island’s southwest.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2025

Though “Seven Veils” isn’t as undeniable and scathing as something like “Tár,” it’s a compelling study of the shifting belief about how great art is made, upended by contemporary mores.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2025

In keeping with the therapeutic mores of the age, he decided to do his convalescing in Europe, where the scenery also would provide an opportunity for him to enrich his visual vocabulary.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson