Morals
/ˈmɔːrəlz/noun
Standards of right and wrong behavior or principles concerning what is right and wrong.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *mōrālis*, from *mōs* meaning “custom” or “way,” so morality was originally about social habit before it became a philosophy of right and wrong.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mos-
“custom, usage, manner”
Latin
Latin
mōs, mōrēs
“custom, usage, habit; manners, morals”
Late Latin
Latin
mōrālis
“pertaining to manners or character”
14th Century
Old French
morale
“moral; ethics, proper conduct”
14th Century
English
moral
“pertaining to character, conduct, or right and wrong”
Modern English
English
morals
“standards of right and wrong conduct”