moral

[ mawr-uhl, mor- ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical:

   moral attitudes.

2. expressing or conveying truths or counsel as to right conduct, as a speaker or a literary work.
3. founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities, enactment, or custom:

   moral obligations.

4. capable of conforming to the rules of right conduct:

   a moral being.

5. conforming to the rules of right conduct ( immoral ):

   a moral man.

   Synonyms: honorable, virtuous, open, straightforward, honest, upright

6. virtuous in sexual matters; chaste.
7. of, relating to, or acting on the mind, feelings, will, or character:

   moral support.

8. resting upon convincing grounds of probability; virtual:

   a moral certainty.

noun

1. the moral teaching or practical lesson contained in a fable, tale, experience, etc.
2. the embodiment or type of something.
3. morals, principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct.

   Synonyms: morality, integrity

moral

/ ˈmɒrəl /

adjective

1. concerned with or relating to human behaviour, esp the distinction between good and bad or right and wrong behaviour

   moral sense

2. adhering to conventionally accepted standards of conduct
3. based on a sense of right and wrong according to conscience

   moral law

   moral courage

4. having psychological rather than tangible effects

   moral support

5. having the effects but not the appearance of (victory or defeat)

   a moral victory

   a moral defeat

6. having a strong probability

   a moral certainty

7. law (of evidence, etc) based on a knowledge of the tendencies of human nature

noun

1. the lesson to be obtained from a fable or event

   point the moral

2. a concise truth; maxim
3. plural principles of behaviour in accordance with standards of right and wrong

Derived Forms

• ˈmorally, adverb

Other Words From

• moral·less adjective
• anti·moral adjective
• hyper·moral adjective
• hyper·moral·ly adverb
• over·moral adjective
• over·moral·ly adverb
• pre·moral adjective
• pre·moral·ly adverb
• pseudo·moral adjective
• quasi-moral adjective
• quasi-moral·ly adverb
• super·moral adjective
• super·moral·ly adverb
• under·moral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of moral¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin mōrālis, equivalent to mōr- (stem of mōs ) “usage, custom” + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of moral¹

C14: from Latin mōrālis relating to morals or customs, from mōs custom

Synonym Study

Morals, ethics refer to rules and standards of conduct and practice. Morals refers to generally accepted customs of conduct and right living in a society, and to the individual's practice in relation to these: the morals of our civilization. Ethics now implies high standards of honest and honorable dealing, and of methods used, especially in the professions or in business: ethics of the medical profession.

Example Sentences

Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel criticised the ICC for drawing a "moral equivalence" between Israel's actions in Gaza and 7 October attacks.

From BBC

“Liberal democracy,” he says, “offers moral constraints without problem-solving” — a lot of rules, not a lot of change — while “populism offers problem-solving without moral constraints.”

From Salon

Earlier, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba defended the US's position, saying it is within international law, but adds there are "moral ramifications for human rights defenders, and I totally get them".

From BBC

Layered on top of that is the fact that political disagreements have morphed into moral conflicts that are perceived as pitting good against evil.

From Los Angeles Times

Johnson has shown no signs he will thwart Trump in any way, the conservative Christian instead deploying his moral authority to defend an alleged sexual predator.

From Salon

Related Words

• ethical
• good
• honest
• noble
• principled
• proper
• righteous

More About Moral

What does moral mean?

Moral describes something involved with or related to principles of what is considered righteous behavior, as in The wise man has offered moral guidance to many people.

The word is used as a noun (especially in the plural morals) to refer to such principles. In this sense, morals are used as a basis to determine right and wrong and guide a person to act in a righteous or honorable manner, as in I don’t cheat because it goes against my morals.

The word moral is also used to describe something that follows such principles—something that is considered the right thing to do. If something is considered moral in this way, it is thought to be seen as acceptable by society or in the context of one’s religion. If something is not moral, it is said to be immoral, meaning wrong.

Moral is also commonly used as a noun to mean a lesson or teaching that is contained in a story or fable, as in The moral of the story was that a person should not be afraid to ask for help. The point of most fairy tales and children’s stories is to teach important morals to children.

Moral is often used in overlapping ways with the word ethical, and the word morals is often used in similar ways to the word ethics, which refers to moral principles or rules of conduct. The word moral is more likely to be used in religious contexts, but both moral and ethical are used in nonreligious contexts.

Moral should not be confused with the word morale, which refers to a person’s emotional or mental condition.

Example: I think the key to being a moral person is thinking about not just your intentions but the consequences of your actions.

Where does moral come from?

The first records of moral come from around 1300. It ultimately comes from the Latin mōrālis, meaning “concerned with ethics.”

Moral refers to a complex topic that we have only lightly touched. It is often used in everyday speech as a synonym of good in the sense of heroic or honorable behavior. While most people would usually agree that what is moral and what is good are the same thing, these principles are often relative to a culture, religion, or other beliefs that guide a group of people.

Even within a group itself, people may not agree with something that is said to be moral. For example, a religious text may make a moral judgement about human sexuality that an individual person may disagree with. Life often forces people to resolve moral dilemmas like this.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to moral?

• morally (adverb)
• moraless (adjective)
• antimoral (adjective)
• hypermoral (adjective)
• pseudomoral (adjective)
• undermoral (adjective)

What are some synonyms for moral?

• principled
• noble
• righteous
• meaning
• lesson

What are some words that share a root or word element with moral? 

• morality
• moralist
• morale
• moral compass
• moral support

What are some words that often get used in discussing moral?

• principle
• rule
• religion
• philosophy
• society
• conflict
• dilemma

What are some words moral may be commonly confused with?

• ethical
• morale

How is moral used in real life?

Moral is a very common that describes something as being righteous or acceptable behavior.

I salute @pbhushan1 for the courage he has shown for upholding the moral values of the constituonal order. #PrashantBhushan #prashanthbhushan

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) August 20, 2020

Let's keep in mind just because something is illegal (leaks) doesn't mean it wasn't moral. Just as legal acts can be immoral.

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) June 6, 2017

today I woke up at 10 am feeling proud that i finally got up early. Wanted to reward myself with 15 more minutes of sleep. Then i woke up again at 4pm.

Moral of the story – dont reward yourself too early

— FARIZ JABBA (@farizjabba) September 10, 2020

Try using moral!

True or False?

What is considered moral is the same for everyone.