ethical

eth·ic·al
E1T1H4I1C3A1L1
/ˈɛθɪkəl/[ˈɛθɪkəl] ~ [ˈɛθɪkl̩]

adjective

Of or relating to the study of ethics.

“In most jurisdictions, morphine is classified as an ethical drug.”

Similar
honorablehonourableright
Opposite
unethical
OriginLate Latin ethicus ← Ancient Greek ἠθικός →
CommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectiveethical (comparative more ethical, superlative most ethical)

comparative more ethical · superlative most ethical

  1. not comparablehuman sciencesOf or relating to the study of ethics.

    The philosopher Kant is particularly known for his ethical writings.

  2. not comparableOf or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession.

    All employees must familiarize themselves with our ethical guidelines.

    1 more example

    An angry dispute between an animal welfare charity and its former employee will be the first case in Britain to decide whether ethical veganism is a “philosophical belief” that should be afforded the same protections as religion.

    2018 December 3, Tara John, “Veganism could get the same legal protections as religion”, in CNN
  3. comparableMorally approvable; good.

    We are trying to decide what the most ethical course of action would be.

  4. not comparableOnly dispensed on the prescription of a physician.

    In most jurisdictions, morphine is classified as an ethical drug.

nounethical (plural ethicals)

plural ethicals

  1. An ethical drug, one only dispensed on the prescription of a physician.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveconforming to accepted standards of social or professional behavior

Opposite
unethical

adjectiveadhering to ethical and moral principles

Similar
honorablehonourableright
Also see
honorablehonourablemoralrightscrupuloustrustworthy

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἠθικός“of or for morals, moral, expressing character”
  2. Late Latinethicus“moral, ethical”
  3. Englishethical

From ethic + -al, from Late Latin ethicus (“moral, ethical”), from Ancient Greek ἠθικός (ēthikós, “of or for morals, moral, expressing character”), from ἦθος (êthos, “character, moral nature”).

More words from Late Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans etiek
  • etiekof or relating to the study of ethics
Arabic أَخْلَاقِيّ
  • أَخْلَاقِيّ (ʔaḵlāqiyy)of or relating to the study of ethics
Bengali নৈতিক
  • নৈতিক (nōitik)of or relating to the study of ethics
Bulgarian ети́чен, ети́чен
  • ети́чен (etíčen)of or relating to the study of ethics
  • ети́чен (etíčen)morally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Catalan ètic, ètic
  • èticof or relating to the study of ethics
  • èticmorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Chinese Mandarin 道德的
  • 道德的 (dàodé de)of or relating to the study of ethics
Czech etický
  • etickýof or relating to the study of ethics
Danish etisk, etisk
  • etiskof or relating to the study of ethics
  • etiskof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • etiskmorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
  • moralsk rigtigmorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Dutch ethisch
  • ethischof or relating to the study of ethics
Estonian eetiline
  • eetilineof or relating to the study of ethics
Finnish eettinen, eettinen
  • eettinenof or relating to the study of ethics
  • eettinenof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • eettinenmorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
French éthique
  • éthiqueof or relating to the study of ethics
German ethisch
  • ethischof or relating to the study of ethics
Greek ηθικός
  • ηθικός (ithikós)of or relating to the study of ethics
Hebrew מוּסָרִי, אֶתִי
  • מוּסָרִי (musarí)of or relating to the study of ethics
  • אֶתִי (éti)of or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • מוּסָרִי (musarí)of or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
Hindi नैतिक, शोभनीय
  • नैतिक (naitik)of or relating to the study of ethics
  • शोभनीय (śobhnīya)of or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • नैतिक (naitik)morally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Hungarian etikai
  • etikaiof or relating to the study of ethics
Irish eiticiúil
  • eiticiúilof or relating to the study of ethics
Italian etico, etico
  • eticoof or relating to the study of ethics
  • eticoof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • moraleof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • eticomorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
  • consentitoonly dispensed on the prescription of a physician
Japanese 倫理的な, 倫理的な
  • 倫理的な (rinriteki na)of or relating to the study of ethics
  • 倫理的な (rinriteki na)morally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Korean 윤리적, 륜리적
  • 윤리적 (yullijeok)of or relating to the study of ethics
  • 륜리적 (ryullijeok)of or relating to the study of ethics
Latvian ētisks, ētisks
  • ētisksof or relating to the study of ethics
  • ētisksof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • ētisksmorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Lithuanian etinis
  • etinisof or relating to the study of ethics
Māori matatika
  • matatikamorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Norwegian Bokmål etisk, etisk
  • etiskof or relating to the study of ethics
  • etiskof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • etiskmorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Persian اخلاقی
  • اخلاقی (axlâqi)of or relating to the study of ethics
Polish etyczny, etyczny
  • etycznyof or relating to the study of ethics
  • etycznyof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • etycznymorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Portuguese ético, ético
  • éticoof or relating to the study of ethics
  • éticoof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • éticomorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Romanian etic
  • eticof or relating to the study of ethics
Russian эти́ческий, эти́ческий
  • эти́ческий (etíčeskij)of or relating to the study of ethics
  • эти́ческий (etíčeskij)of or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • эти́чный (etíčnyj)morally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Slovak etický
  • etickýof or relating to the study of ethics
Spanish ético, ético
  • éticoof or relating to the study of ethics
  • éticoof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • éticomorally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good
Swedish etisk
  • etiskof or relating to the study of ethics
Turkish etik, töre bilimsel
  • etikof or relating to the study of ethics
  • töre bilimselof or relating to the study of ethics
  • etikof or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
Ukrainian ети́чний
  • ети́чний (etýčnyj)of or relating to the study of ethics
Urdu اَخْلاقی
  • اَخْلاقی (axlāqī)of or relating to the study of ethics
Yiddish עטיש, עטיש
  • עטיש (etish)of or relating to the study of ethics
  • עטיש (etish)of or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession
  • עטיש (etish)morally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with ethical

nickelideologicalpickleticklesickletrickleficklecuticleBicklemickleicklechiclesticklebricklebricolefricklelikklepiculricklestrickle
All rhymes →

Anagrams

alethicthecial
Cite this entry
APA

ethical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ethical

MLA

“ethical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ethical. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ethical,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ethical.

Source: ethical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.