ethic - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

eth·ic

Audio Help [eth-ik] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	the body of moral principles or values governing or distinctive of a particular culture or group: the Christian ethic; the tribal ethic of the Zuni.

2.	a complex of moral precepts held or rules of conduct followed by an individual: a personal ethic.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME ethic, etic < L éthicus < Gk éthikós, equiv. to êth(os) ethos + -ikos -ic

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
ethic

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

eth·ic Audio Help (ěth'ĭk) Pronunciation Key
n.

1. A set of principles of right conduct.
2. A theory or a system of moral values: "An ethic of service is at war with a craving for gain" (Gregg Easterbrook).
ethics (used with a sing. verb) The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person; moral philosophy.
ethics (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession: medical ethics.

[Middle English ethik, from Old French ethique (from Late Latin ēthica, from Greek ēthika, ethics) and from Latin ēthicē (from Greek ēthikē), both from Greek ēthikos, ethical, from ēthos, character; see s(w)e- in Indo-European roots.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

ethic
noun
1.	the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group; "the Puritan ethic"; "a person with old-fashioned values"
2.	a system of principles governing morality and acceptable conduct

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Ethic

Eth"ic\, Ethical \Eth"ic*al\, a. [L. ethicus, Gr. ?, fr. ? custom, usage, character, dwelling; akin to ? custom, Goth. sidus, G. sitte, Skr. svadh?, prob. orig., one's own doing; sva self + dh? to set: cf. F. ['e]thique. See So, Do.] Of, or belonging to, morals; treating of the moral feelings or duties; containing percepts of morality; moral; as, ethic discourses or epistles; an ethical system; ethical philosophy.

The ethical meaning of the miracles. --Trench.

Ethical dative (Gram.), a use of the dative of a pronoun to signify that the person or thing spoken of is regarded with interest by some one; as, Quid mihi Celsus agit? How does my friend Celsus do?

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