morality

[ muh-ral-i-tee, maw- ]

noun

, plural mo·ral·i·ties

1. conformity to the rules of right conduct; moral or virtuous conduct.
2. moral quality or character.
3. virtue in sexual matters; chastity.
4. a doctrine or system of morals.
5. moral instruction; a moral lesson, precept, discourse, or utterance.
6. morality play.

morality

/ məˈrælɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being moral
2. conformity, or degree of conformity, to conventional standards of moral conduct
3. a system of moral principles
4. an instruction or lesson in morals
5. short for morality play

Other Words From

• anti·mo·rali·ty adjective
• hyper·mo·rali·ty noun
• premo·rali·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of morality¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English moralite, from Late Latin mōrālitās; moral, -ity

Synonym Study

See goodness.

Example Sentences

In Ferguson, these values are seen as white values, the morality a white morality.

From The Daily Beast

For us, the police embrace nothing if not working- and middle-class values and morality.

From The Daily Beast

In a country with a constitution that values secularism, religion is still the prime indicator of morality and goodness.

From The Daily Beast

That the fate of marriage as an institution has little to do with morality—and a lot more to do with money.

From The Daily Beast

All of this comes just as the Iranian parliament has passed a law that gives further powers to morality patrols.

From The Daily Beast

The ruse by which he and Lannes captured the bridge below Vienna was discreditable no doubt from the point of view of morality.

From Project Gutenberg

A writer of the day said, “Mr. Hudson is neither better nor worse than the morality of his time.”

From Project Gutenberg

Social betterment must depend at every stage on the force of public spirit and public morality that inspires it.

From Project Gutenberg

It may be admitted at once that the direct influence on morality was very small indeed.

From Project Gutenberg

If we knew more of it, we should see more clearly where religion and morality joined hands, but we know enough to give us a clue.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• decency
• integrity
• justice
• morals
• philosophy
• principle
• probity
• purity
• rectitude
• righteousness
• virtue