- (functioning as singular)
the philosophical study of the moral value of human conduct and of the rules and principles that ought to govern it; moral philosophy - (functioning as plural)
a social, religious, or civil code of behaviour considered correct, esp that of a particular group, profession, or individual - (functioning as plural)
the moral fitness of a decision, course of action, etc: he doubted the ethics of their verdict
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
eth•ics /ˈɛθɪks/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Philosophy[plural; used with a plural verb]
- a system or set of moral principles:The ethics of one culture are not always shared by other cultures.
- Philosophy[uncountable* used with a singular verb] a branch of philosophy dealing with issues like values in human conduct and questions of right and wrong.
eth•ics
(eth′iks),USA pronunciation n.pl.
- Philosophy(used with a sing. or pl. v.) a system of moral principles:the ethics of a culture.
- Philosophythe rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.:medical ethics; Christian ethics.
- Philosophymoral principles, as of an individual:His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence.
- Philosophy(usually used with a sing. v.) that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions. Cf. axiological ethics, deontological ethics.
- late Middle English ethic + -s3, modeled on Greek tà ēthiká, neuter plural 1400–50
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See moral.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'code of ethics' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):