ethic

n. 1. the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group; as, the Puritan ethic. [ wns=1 ]
Syn. -- moral principle, value-system, value orientation. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a system of principles governing morality and acceptable conduct. [ wns=2 ]
Syn. -- ethical code. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } a. [ L. ethicus, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; custom, usage, character, dwelling; akin to &unr_; custom, Goth. sidus, G. sitte, Skr. svadh&unr_;, prob. orig., one's own doing; sva self + dh&unr_; to set: cf. F. éthique. See So, Do. ] Of, or belonging to, morals; treating of the moral feelings or duties; containing percepts of morality; moral; as, ethic discourses or epistles; an ethical system; ethical philosophy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ethical meaning of the miracles. Trench. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ethical dative (Gram.), a use of the dative of a pronoun to signify that the person or thing spoken of is regarded with interest by some one; as, Quid mihi Celsus agit? How does my friend Celsus do? [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. According to, in harmony with, moral principles or character. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is versed in ethics, or has written on ethics. [ 1913 Webster ]