# morality

Pronunciation: US say "muh-RAL-uh-tee" /məˈɹæləti/; UK say "muh-RA-li-tee" /məˈɹælɪti/

## Noun

1. Recognition of the difference between right and wrong, together with respect for and obedience to the rules of good conduct.
   - Simple: The sense of what is right and wrong, and the wish to do what is right.
   - _A society depends on the morality of its citizens to function without constant policing._
   - _He questioned whether morality could survive without some shared idea of right and wrong._
2. A set of social rules, customs, traditions, beliefs, or practices that defines which forms of conduct a community treats as acceptable.
   - Simple: A system of shared rules and customs that says which actions a group accepts as right.
   - _Victorian morality placed great importance on public decency and restraint._
   - _Different societies develop different moralities around marriage and family._
3. The principles a particular person lives by, or their general sense of how to behave, whether or not others would think it respectable.
   - Simple: The personal rules someone follows about how to behave, whether good or bad.
   - _The gangster lived by a strange morality that valued loyalty above the law._
   - _Each member of the crew followed a private morality the others rarely understood._
4. A medieval allegorical play that dramatizes a moral lesson, with characters personifying virtues and vices such as Mercy, Greed, or Death.
   - Simple: A type of old play that teaches right and wrong through characters like Mercy or Greed.
   - _Everyman is the most famous morality still performed today._
   - _Touring players staged moralities in town squares across the country._

## Noun

5. A theory explaining why things count as right, wrong, good, or evil and what these categories mean. *(rare)*
   - Simple: A single theory that explains what makes things right or wrong, good or evil.
   - _Utilitarianism is a morality that judges actions by their consequences._
   - _The seminar contrasted several competing moralities of the eighteenth century._
6. The branch of philosophy that studies the grounds and nature of right and wrong, good and evil; moral philosophy. *(rare)*
   - Simple: The study in philosophy of what is right, wrong, good, and evil.
   - _Aristotle's work laid early foundations for morality as a field of study._
   - _The course in morality examined how thinkers justify their claims about right and wrong._
7. A lesson or pronouncement that offers advice about proper behavior. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A short lesson or saying that tells people how they should behave.
   - _The preacher closed his sermon with a stern morality on the dangers of pride._
   - _Aesop's tales each conclude with a brief morality._

## Origin

It comes from Anglo-Norman and Middle French moralité, from Late Latin mōrālitās meaning 'manner, character', which comes from Latin mōrālis ('relating to morals') and ultimately mōs ('manner, custom'). It is equivalent to moral plus -ity.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/morality (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).