different between righteousness vs ethical

English

Etymology

From Middle English rightwisnes, from Old English rihtw?snes (“justice”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??a?t???sn?s/

Noun

righteousness (countable and uncountable, plural righteousnesses)

1. (uncountable) The quality or state of being righteous.
2. (uncountable, theology) Holiness; conformity of life to the divine law.

   Synonyms: rectitude, uprightness, holiness, godliness, equity, justice, rightfulness, integrity, honesty, faithfulness

3. (countable) A righteous act, or righteous quality.

   • All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

4. The act or conduct of one who is righteous.

   • Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth rightness at all times.

5. (theology) The state of being right with God; justification; the work of Christ, which is the ground justification.
   • 1594-7, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, A Discourse, Section 21

     There are two kinds of Christian righteousness: the one without us, which we have by imputation; the other in us, which consisteth of faith, hope, and charity, and other Christian virtues.

   • 1646-7, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q.33

     Only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.

Translations

Derived terms

English

Etymology

From ethic +? -al, from Late Latin ethicus (“moral, ethical”), from Ancient Greek ?????? (?thikós, “of or for morals, moral, expressing character”), from ???? (êthos, “character, moral nature”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /????k?l/

Adjective

ethical (comparative more ethical, superlative most ethical)

1. (philosophy, not comparable) Of or relating to the study of ethics.

   The philosopher Kant is particularly known for his ethical writings.

2. (not comparable) Of or relating to the accepted principles of right and wrong, especially those of some organization or profession.

   All employees must familiarize themselves with our ethical guidelines.

3. (comparable) Morally approvable; good.

   We are trying to decide what the most ethical course of action would be.

4. (of a drug, not comparable) Only dispensed on the prescription of a physician.

   In most jurisdictions, morphine is classified as an ethical drug.

Derived terms

• ethical investment
• ethical system
• meta-ethical
• (morally approvable): unethical

Related terms

• ethic
• ethics
• ethos

Translations

See also

• ethical dative

Noun

ethical (plural ethicals)

1. An ethical drug, one only dispensed on the prescription of a physician.

References

• ethical at OneLook Dictionary Search
• ethical in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• ethical in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• ethical in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• alethic