ethos

noun

ˈē-ˌthäs 

: the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution

also : ethic sense 1d

Did you know?

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”).  

Synonyms

• principles
• norms
• standards
• ethics
• morals
• morality

Examples of ethos in a Sentence

The company made environmental awareness part of its business ethos.

They are working to keep a democratic ethos alive in the community.

Recent Examples on the Web

Across forty pages of perfect derangement, Wagner uses her personal-finance handbook to unspool her divorce odyssey, seizing the ethos that no personal tragedy is too intimate to exploit. —Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025

And while the tone is different, Yael’s fictional podcast also critiques the conservative ethos of popular books. —Rachel Runya Katz, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025

But concomitant with this were tensions around the concept of localism, an ethos with its roots in the conditions and convictions of the earliest settlers. —JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025

D’Angelo could become a patron saint for this ethos. —Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek ēthos custom, character — more at sib

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

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