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Virtuous vs Ethical - What's the difference?

virtuous | ethical |

As adjectives the difference between virtuous and ethical

is that virtuous is full of virtue, having excellent moral character while ethical is (philosophy|not comparable) of or relating to the study of ethics.

As a noun ethical is

an ethical drug.

virtuous

English

Alternative forms

* vertuous (obsolete) * vertuus (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Full of virtue, having excellent moral character.
  • Synonyms

    * good * righteous

    Derived terms

    * virtuousness

    ethical

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (philosophy, not comparable) Of or relating to the study of ethics.
  • The philosopher Kant is particularly known for his ethical writings.
  • (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.
  • (comparable) Morally approvable, when referring to an action that affects others; good.
  • We are trying to decide what the most ethical course of action would be.
  • (of a drug, not comparable) Only dispensed on the prescription of a physician.
  • In most jurisdictions, morphine is classified as an ethical drug.

    Usage notes

    * In general usage ethical'' is used to describe standards of behavior between individuals, while ''moral'' or ''immoral can describe any behavior. You can call lying unethical or immoral, for example, because it involves the behavior of one person and how it affects another, but violating dietary prohibitions in a holy text can only be described as immoral.

    Derived terms

    * ethical investment * ethical system * meta-ethical * (morally approvable) unethical

    See also

    * ethical dative

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An ethical drug.
  • Anagrams

    *