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Which character serves as Pinocchio's conscience in the 1940 animated film?

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conscience

American  

[kon-shuhns] / ˈkɒn ʃəns /

noun

• consciences
  plural

1. the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action.

   to follow the dictates of conscience.

2. the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.

3. an inhibiting sense of what is prudent.

   I'd eat another piece of pie but my conscience would bother me.

4. conscientiousness.

5. Obsolete. consciousness; self-knowledge.

6. Obsolete. strict and reverential observance.

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idioms

1. have something on one's conscience, to feel guilty about something, as an act that one considers wrong.

   She behaves as if she had something on her conscience.

2. in all conscience, Also in conscience.

   1. in all reason and fairness.

   2. certainly; assuredly.

conscience British  

/ ˈkɒnʃəns /

noun

1. 1. the sense of right and wrong that governs a person's thoughts and actions

   2. regulation of one's actions in conformity to this sense

   3. a supposed universal faculty of moral insight

2. conscientiousness; diligence

3. a feeling of guilt or anxiety

   he has a conscience about his unkind action

4. obsolete consciousness

5. 1. with regard to truth and justice

   2. certainly

6. causing feelings of guilt or remorse

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conscience More Idioms  

1. see have a clear conscience; in conscience.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• consciencelessness
  noun
• subconscience
  noun
• conscienceless
  adjective
• consciencelessly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• consciences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of conscience

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin conscientia “knowledge, awareness, conscience”; equivalent to con- + science

Explanation

A conscience is a built-in sense of what's right and what's wrong. That sick feeling in your stomach after you lied to your brother about borrowing his skateboard? That might be your conscience bothering you. The word conscience contains the word science, which comes from the Latin word scientia, meaning "to know" or "knowledge." You can think of your conscience as your knowledge of yourself, especially when it comes to your own morals, or your feelings about right and wrong. Pangs of conscience, which feel like an uncomfortable inner voice, are helpful when you're trying to decide the right thing to do in a particular situation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

conscience consciences

The government of China, which represents a great civilization and has become a global power, shouldn’t feel threatened by a 78-year-old publisher whose only weapons are his faith, his words and his conscience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Human rights groups denounced this as a stain on the moral conscience of America.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

The best way to do that is to vote your conscience.

From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026

In a long post on X, Ruben Rocha Moya, an ally of leftist President Claudia Sheinbaum, insisted he had "committed no crime" and was returning to office "with a clear conscience and head held high."

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

But even with the sound of loud music reverberating through the car, I could still hear my conscience nagging at me.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

The Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam, for example, brought together Protestant, Roman Catholic and Jewish Americans who opposed the war because it violated the nation’s ideals and religious consciences.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026

Ethical issues, such as those around life and death, are conventionally seen as matters for the consciences of individual MPs, so the government does not formally give a position.

From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026

The French film legend says that the most important thing for her about a film "is that it changes lives, changes people's consciences."

From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026

Americans with normal levels of basic decency let their consciences prevent them from exploiting the death of a purported friend before he’s even buried.

From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2025

They satisfied their consciences with the thought that Hrothgar was now so strong a ruler that no one would dare to attack him.

From "Beowulf: A New Telling" by Robert Nye

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