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In Greek, ēthos means “custom” or “character.” As originally used by Aristotle, it referred to a person’s character or personality, especially with respect to a balance between passion and caution. In English, ethos is used today to refer to the practices or values that distinguish one person, organization, or society from others. In rhetoric, ethos is often studied alongside pathos and logos as a technique to successfully persuade an audience. Related terms in the English language include ethics (“a branch of philosophy dealing with what is morally right or wrong”) and ethology (“a branch of knowledge dealing with human character and with its formation and evolution”).
Examples of ethos in a Sentence
Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026
During my 50-plus years as a Greenwich Village resident, the ethos of the park has always been freedom of self-expression.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Produced by Russell alongside Dim Star, the album doubles down on the collaborative ethos that has increasingly defined her work.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 8 May 2026
The Trojan War was the foundational story of the Greeks, who are the foundational thinkers of the West, and the Gospels are the foundational moral ethos of the West.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ethos
Cite this Entry
“Ethos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethos. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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