morality
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the belief that some types of behaviour are right and good and others are wrong.
the abstract quality of being in accord with principles of right conduct; the distinction between good and evil.
Simple“The judge questioned the morality of the company's decision to hide the truth.”
In context“Philosophers have long debated whether morality is an inherent human trait or a construct developed through social necessity.”
Usageuncountable in this sense
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a particular set of rules or values that a group of people follow.
a specific system of values and principles of conduct, especially one held by a particular society or religion.
Simple“Every culture has its own morality regarding family and duty.”
In context“The book explores how Victorian morality influenced the strict social laws of the nineteenth century.”
Usagecountable in this sense
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a type of play from the Middle Ages that teaches a lesson about being good.
a drama of the 15th and 16th centuries using allegorical characters to illustrate moral lessons.
Simple“In school, we studied a famous morality play where characters represented things like 'Greed' and 'Kindness'.”
In context“The Everyman is perhaps the most enduring example of a medieval morality, depicting the protagonist's journey toward spiritual reckoning.”
Usageoften used as 'morality play'
Teacher's tipThis is a very specific historical term; students will likely only encounter it in literature or history classes.
Synonymsmorality play
“My own research on how people navigate competing moral demands suggests that one potential explanation lies in a critical tension that is generated by morality itself.”
“You’re not a criminal but a victim, bound hand and foot by that outmoded morality called Bushido ,” the samurai code of conduct.”
From Anglo-Norman moralité, Middle French moralité, from Late Latin mōrālitās (“manner, characteristic, character”), from Latin mōrālis (“relating to manners or morals”), from mōs (“manner, custom”). equivalent to moral + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.