morality

noun

mo·​ral·​i·​ty mə-ˈra-lə-tē How to pronounce morality (audio)
mȯ-
plural moralities
1
a
: a moral discourse, statement, or lesson
ended his lecture with a trite morality
b
: a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson
"Aesop's Fables" is famous as a morality.
2
a
: a doctrine or system of moral conduct
the basic law which an adequate morality ought to stateMarjorie Grene
b
moralities plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct
we were all brought up on one of these moralitiesPsychiatry
3
: conformity to ideals of right human conduct
admitted the expediency of the law but questioned its morality
4
: moral conduct : virtue
morality today involves a responsible relationship toward the laws of the natural worldP. B. Sears

Examples of morality in a Sentence

The group is calling for a return to traditional morality. two groups with clashing moralities The decision may be legally justified, but I question its morality.
Recent Examples on the Web
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White House coup plots, Jennifer Tilly playing herself possessed by the spirit of the demon doll Tiffany, and Chucky grappling with his own morality couldn't save this tenacious little series. Ew Staff, EW.com, 6 Dec. 2024 Incorporating a mixture of bodycam, dash-camera, and cellphone footage to create a cinema verité effect, the innovative series explores the morality of protecting and serving a community. Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2024 After the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who was arrested by Iran's morality police after allegedly violating hijab rules in 2022, nationwide protests broke out in protest of the government's treatment of women and pushing for women's rights. Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024 In late 2022, the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s morality police led to some of the biggest protests the country had seen in decades. Cnn Staff, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for morality 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of morality was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near morality

Cite this Entry

“Morality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morality. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

morality

noun
mo·​ral·​i·​ty mə-ˈral-ət-ē How to pronounce morality (audio)
plural moralities
1
: moral quality : virtue
judge the morality of an action
2
: a system of moral rules

More from Merriam-Webster on morality

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