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View synonyms for morality

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.


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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • anti·mo·rali·ty adjective
  • hyper·mo·rali·ty noun
  • premo·rali·ty noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of morality1

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

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Example Sentences

For people who believe all that Christian talk about morality and decency, his behavior is a slap in the face.

From Salon

As a result, he dominated news coverage, looking bolder and badder than ever and leaving the Democrats looking like sputtering, defensive, fact-checking, umbrage-filled morality police.

From Salon

A stark, yawning gap separated private behavior and deep-rooted public morality.

I do not believe that this election was a referendum on the morality, ethics, or essential qualities of the American people as a whole.

From Salon

In the three-and-a-half years since Western forces left the country, "morality laws" have meant women in Afghanistan have lost dozens of rights.

From BBC

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More About Morality

What is morality?

Morality is a conformity to the rules of good or virtuous conduct, as in Because he was leading a life according to morality, the knight declined the reward for rescuing the princess.

Morality is also an individual person’s goodness or virtuousness, as in Batman’s morality would not allow him to kill any evildoers.

Morality is also a system of rules regarding goodness or virtue, as in The Bible is the source of Christian morality.

Morality is a very complex concept that refers to the written or unwritten rules that society uses to determine what good behavior is. Good here means not evil and refers to behavior that people agree is honorable, just, or virtuous.

If you are concerned with morality, you want to be a good person and don’t want to commit evil acts. The rules of goodness that define morality are called morals and can come from many different sources, such as religion or cultural norms. The opposite of morality is immorality.

Example: I try to live my life according to morality, so I always tell the truth.

Where does morality come from?

The first records of morality come from around 1350. It ultimately comes from the Late Latin mōrālitās, meaning “human nature.” It combines the word moral, meaning “related to goodness,” and -ity, a suffix used to make abstract nouns that state a condition.

Morality differs from society to society and person to person. Many different factors can contribute to a person’s individual morality, such as religion, culture, education, life experiences, and parental guidance. However, some acts, such as cannibalism, are seen universally so horrible and vile.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to morality?

  • immorality (noun)
  • antimorality (adjective)
  • hypermorality (noun)
  • premorality (noun)

What are some synonyms for morality?

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

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

How is morality used in real life?

Morality is most often used to mean goodness and how well (or not) a person demonstrates conformity to society’s sense of it.

 

 

Try using morality!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of morality?

A. virtue
B. goodness
C. decency
D. evilness

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