rectitude
Americannoun
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rightness of principle or conduct; moral virtue.
the rectitude of her motives.
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correctness.
rectitude of judgment.
noun
-
moral or religious correctness
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correctness of judgment
Etymology
Origin of rectitude
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French rectitude, “honesty,” from Late Latin rēctitūdin- (stem of rēctitūdō “straightness, upright posture, honesty, justice”), equivalent to Latin rēct(us) right + -tūdin- -tude
Explanation
Rectitude refers to behavior that is correct, upright and honorable. You have moral rectitude if you refuse to be involved with a plan that some kids in your class have to cheat on a test. This is a word that's easy to remember! First of all, rectitude sounds like rector, a member of the clergy, who is supposed to be a person with a highly moral ... 'tude, if you will. It also has the same prefix as rectangle, that most upright of geometric figures. If someone talks about fiscal rectitude, they are concerned with doing the right thing financially.
Vocabulary lists containing rectitude
The Declaration of Independence
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To Kill a Mockingbird
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The Things They Carried
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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.
Appeared in the February 28, 2026, print edition as 'Rage and Rectitude in the Texas GOP Primary'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
A version of this review appears in print on February 10, 2014, on page C1 of the with the headline: Rectitude And Desire, Both at Sea .
From New York Times • Feb. 9, 2014
German Rectitude Has Its Risks As markets pummeled Spanish and Italian government bonds this week after Europe’s latest effort to contain crisis, Germany seemed increasingly isolated in its demands for more austerity.
From New York Times • Jun. 15, 2012
I can assure you that the Bureau of Feminist Rectitude will never hear about it from me.
From Time Magazine Archive
Mencius calls Benevolence man's mind, and Rectitude or Righteousness his path.
From Bushido, the Soul of Japan by Nitobe, Inazo
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.
