Where does “ethics” come from?
Ethics derives from Middle English etik, from Middle French ethique, from Late Latin ethica, from Ancient Greek ἠθική (ἠθικός), ultimately from ἦθος and ἔθος meaning character or custom.
ethics (English): The study of principles relating to right and...
Definitions
- The study of principles relating to right and...
Ancestry of “ethics”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | etik | Moral, relating to morals |
| 2 | Middle French | ethique | — |
| 3 | Old French | ethique | — |
| 4 | Latin | ēthica | — |
| 5 | Late Latin | ethica | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἠθική | feminine nominative/vocative singular of ἠθικός |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἠθικός | of or for morals; moral; expressing character |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | ἦθος | character; custom, habit |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | ἔθος | habit, custom, manner; disposition, temper;... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | swe-dʰh₁- | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁- | to do, put, place |