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work ethic

American  
[wurk eth-ik] / ˈwɜrk ˌɛθ ɪk /

noun

  1. a belief in the moral benefit and importance of work and its inherent ability to strengthen character.


work ethic British  

noun

  1. a belief in the moral value of work (often in the phrase Protestant work ethic )

"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

Etymology

Origin of work ethic

First recorded in 1950–55

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.

You have a good relationship with your daughter, and you’re very proud of her work ethic, intelligence and drive.

From MarketWatch

That mindset, he says, reflects the work ethic she saw at home.

From Los Angeles Times

Cravens wrote on X. “I pray to God this recruiting class and offseason squeezes every ounce of talent and work ethic out of this team next year. Because in my book, you either make the playoff next year or this was a failed experiment. Plain & simple!”

From Los Angeles Times

"Showing that not only are you performing to that level, but you are respectful, you're on time, you have a good work ethic - it all really can help within the industry," he says.

From BBC

Stewart, a third-round pick from Michigan, playfully described Verse and Young as “two knuckleheads” who set an example with their work ethic and results.

From Los Angeles Times