noun
ethic
EHTH-ihk
noun
1
A set of moral principles that guides a person's or group's behaviour.
"She has a strong work ethic."
"The company's ethic of honesty attracted loyal customers."
How to Use Ethic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA guiding sense of right and wrong that shapes how someone behaves.
Common mistake
Often used in the plural "ethics" for the broader study of morality; "an ethic" (singular) usually refers to one specific guiding principle, like a "work ethic".
Common pairings
work ethic
a strong ethic
personal ethic
Word Forms
more ethic comparative, ethics plural, most ethic superlative
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She has a strong work _____.
Etymology
From Late Latin ēthicus, from Ancient Greek ēthikós, from êthos (\"character\").