categorical imperative

noun

A fundamental ethical principle intended as a guide for determining whether any contemplated action is morally right, based on the concept that an action is good or bad in and of itself regardless of what the actor's aims or preferences are.

OriginGerman kategorischer Imperativ →
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Meanings

nouncategorical imperative (plural categorical imperatives)

plural categorical imperatives

  1. ethicsA fundamental ethical principle intended as a guide for determining whether any contemplated action is morally right, based on the concept that an action is good or bad in and of itself regardless of what the actor's aims or preferences are.

Origin

  1. Germankategorischer Imperativ
  2. Englishcategorical imperative

From German kategorischer Imperativ.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech kategorický imperativ
  • kategorický imperativfundamental ethical principle
French impératif catégorique
  • impératif catégoriquefundamental ethical principle
German kategorischer Imperativ, categorischer Imperativ
  • kategorischer Imperativfundamental ethical principle
  • categorischer Imperativfundamental ethical principle
Japanese 定言命法
  • 定言命法fundamental ethical principle
Portuguese imperativo categórico
  • imperativo categóricofundamental ethical principle
Romanian imperativ categoric
  • imperativ categoricfundamental ethical principle
Cite this entry
APA

categorical imperative. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/categorical%20imperative

MLA

“categorical imperative.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/categorical%20imperative. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “categorical imperative,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/categorical%20imperative.

Source: categorical imperative on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.