ethics
gb/ˈɛθɪks/ us/ˈɛθɪks/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
abstract
1
moral principles for behavior
the ideas that guide people in deciding what is right or wrong
Usage pattern:
[someone's/something's] ethics; the ethics of [something/doing something]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse ethics with etiquette; ethics is about right and wrong, while etiquette is about polite behavior.
Synonyms
morality (refers broadly to ideas about right and wrong)
|
principles (can be moral or general standards for behavior)
|
values (broader; includes what people consider important, not only moral rules)
Antonyms
immorality (behavior or beliefs judged morally wrong)
|
corruption (dishonest or unethical behavior, especially involving power or money)
Collocations
personal ethics
|questionable ethics
|public ethics
|religious ethics
|political ethics
|a matter of ethics
|the ethics of something
|ethics and values
|strong sense of ethics
Themes
morality
|personal_values
|society
Examples
- Her ethics would not allow her to lie to a client.
- Many people questioned the ethics of accepting such expensive gifts.
- The scandal damaged his reputation for honesty and ethics.
Learner examples
- Good ethics matter in every job.
- His ethics are very important to him.
Noun
B2
rule
2
professional standards of conduct
rules about what is right and wrong in a job or organization
Usage pattern:
[field/profession] ethics; breach/violation of ethics; ethics in [field]
Common mistake:
Use an adjective to name the field: medical ethics, business ethics, legal ethics.
Synonyms
ethical standards (emphasizes the standards themselves)
|
code of conduct (usually refers to a written set of rules)
|
professional standards (broader; may include competence and procedure as well as morality)
Antonyms
misconduct (behavior that breaks professional or organizational rules)
|
malpractice (serious professional wrongdoing, especially in law or medicine)
Collocations
professional ethics
|business ethics
|medical ethics
|legal ethics
|journalistic ethics
|research ethics
|ethics policy
|ethics training
|ethics violation
|breach of ethics
Themes
work
|professions
|organizations
|morality
Examples
- The hospital requires annual training in professional ethics.
- Journalistic ethics require reporters to protect confidential sources.
- The lawyer was accused of a serious breach of ethics.
Learner examples
- Teachers must follow professional ethics.
- The company offers ethics training.
Noun
formal
C1
abstract
3
study of moral questions
the study of how people decide what is right and wrong
Usage pattern:
ethics is [a subject]; study/teach ethics
Common mistake:
When it means the academic subject, ethics usually takes a singular verb: Ethics is a branch of philosophy.
Synonyms
moral philosophy (more explicit and academic)
|
moral theory (often refers to theoretical systems within ethics)
Collocations
study ethics
|teach ethics
|ethics course
|ethics class
|ethics professor
|normative ethics
|applied ethics
|philosophical ethics
|ethics seminar
|ethics paper
Themes
philosophy
|education
|morality
Examples
- She took a course in ethics during her first year at university.
- Ethics asks questions about duty, justice, and the good life.
- His book connects ethics with politics and religion.
Learner examples
- Ethics is part of philosophy.
- We studied ethics at school.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ethics
IPA
GB/ˈɛθɪks/
US/ˈɛθɪks/
Syllables & stress
eth - ics (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (eth)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: ethics
- Plural: ethics
Expressions
ai ethics
1/ˈaɪ ˈɛθɪks/
fixed phrase
technical
ethics of artificial intelligence
ideas about using artificial intelligence in a fair and responsible way
Examples
- AI ethics includes questions about bias in hiring algorithms.
- The company created an AI ethics board to review new products.
- Privacy is a major issue in AI ethics.
business ethics
1/bˈɪznɪs ˈɛθɪks/
fixed phrase
business
ethics in business
rules about right and wrong behavior in business
Examples
- The scandal became a case study in business ethics.
- Paying bribes clearly violates business ethics.
- Investors increasingly ask companies about business ethics and sustainability.
code of ethics
1/kˈoʊd əv ˈɛθɪks/
fixed phrase
formal
Formal moral rules for group
A list of rules about what is right and wrong for a group or job.
Examples
- All employees must follow the company's code of ethics.
- The medical code of ethics guides doctors in their work.
code of ethics
1/kˈoʊd əv ˈɛθɪks/
fixed phrase
formal
formal ethical rule set
written rules about right behavior in a group or job
Examples
- Every employee must follow the company's code of ethics.
- The association updated its code of ethics to cover online advertising.
- Accepting gifts from suppliers may be banned under the code of ethics.
ethics committee
1/ˈɛθɪks kəmˈɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
group reviewing ethical conduct
a group that checks whether actions or plans are ethical
Examples
- The ethics committee approved the study before recruitment began.
- An ethics committee reviewed the complaint against the council member.
- She asked the hospital's ethics committee for advice about the difficult case.
ethics violation
1/ˈɛθɪks vaɪəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
breach of ethical rules
an action that breaks ethical rules
Examples
- The mayor denied that the gift was an ethics violation.
- Sharing confidential client information would be an ethics violation.
- The company created a hotline for reporting ethics violations.
legal ethics
1/lˈiɡəl ˈɛθɪks/
fixed phrase
legal
ethics in legal work
rules about right and wrong behavior for lawyers
Examples
- Legal ethics prevents lawyers from representing clients when there is a serious conflict of interest.
- She teaches legal ethics at the law school.
- The bar association investigated a legal ethics complaint.
medical ethics
1/mˈɛdɪkəl ˈɛθɪks/
fixed phrase
formal
ethics in medicine
ideas about right and wrong in medicine and patient care
Examples
- Medical ethics requires doctors to get informed consent.
- End-of-life decisions often raise difficult issues in medical ethics.
- The hospital discussed the case with a medical ethics specialist.
research ethics
1/ɹisˈɚt͡ʃ ˈɛθɪks/
fixed phrase
technical
ethics in research
rules for doing research in a fair, safe, and honest way
Examples
- Research ethics requires volunteers to understand the risks before joining a study.
- The university offers training in research ethics.
- Falsifying data is a serious violation of research ethics.