Moral vs. Ethical — What's the Difference?

A moral (from Latin morālis) is a message that is conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader, or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim.

Relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these

Of or concerned with the judgment of right or wrong of human action and character

(of a medicine) legally available only on a doctor's prescription and usually not advertised to the general public

Teaching or exhibiting goodness or correctness of character and behavior

Of, relating to, or dealing with ethics

Conforming to standards of what is right or just in behavior; virtuous

Being in accordance with the accepted principles of right and wrong that govern the conduct of a profession

Arising from conscience or the sense of right and wrong

Relating to or being a drug dispensed solely on the prescription of a physician.

Having psychological rather than physical or tangible effects

Of or relating to the study of ethics.

Based on strong likelihood or firm conviction, rather than on the actual evidence

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

The lesson or principle contained in or taught by a fable, a story, or an event.

(comparable) Morally approvable; good.

A concisely expressed precept or general truth; a maxim

Only dispensed on the prescription of a physician.

Morals Rules or habits of conduct, especially of sexual conduct, with reference to standards of right and wrong

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

Of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behaviour, especially for teaching right behaviour.

Of or relating to the philosophical study of ethics;

Conforming to a standard of right behaviour; sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment.

Conforming to accepted standards of social or professional behavior;

Capable of right and wrong action.

Adhering to ethical and moral principles;

Probable but not proved.

Positively affecting the mind, confidence, or will.

(of a narrative) The ethical significance or practical lesson.

Moral practices or teachings: modes of conduct.

(obsolete) A morality play.

A moral certainty.

An exact counterpart.

(intransitive) To moralize.

Relating to duty or obligation; pertaining to those intentions and actions of which right and wrong, virtue and vice, are predicated, or to the rules by which such intentions and actions ought to be directed; relating to the practice, manners, or conduct of men as social beings in relation to each other, as respects right and wrong, so far as they are properly subject to rules.

Conformed to accepted rules of right; acting in conformity with such rules; virtuous; just; as, a moral man. Used sometimes in distinction from religious; as, a moral rather than a religious life.

Capable of right and wrong action or of being governed by a sense of right; subject to the law of duty.

Acting upon or through one's moral nature or sense of right, or suited to act in such a manner; as, a moral arguments; moral considerations. Sometimes opposed to material and physical; as, moral pressure or support.

Supported by reason or probability; practically sufficient; - opposed to legal or demonstrable; as, a moral evidence; a moral certainty.

Serving to teach or convey a moral; as, a moral lesson; moral tales.

The doctrine or practice of the duties of life; manner of living as regards right and wrong; conduct; behavior; - usually in the plural.

The inner meaning or significance of a fable, a narrative, an occurrence, an experience, etc.; the practical lesson which anything is designed or fitted to teach; the doctrine meant to be inculcated by a fiction; a maxim.

A morality play. See Morality, 5.

To moralize.

The significance of a story or event;

Relating to principles of right and wrong; i.e. to morals or ethics;

Concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles;

Adhering to ethical and moral principles;

Arising from the sense of right and wrong;

Psychological rather than physical or tangible in effect;

Based on strong likelihood or firm conviction rather than actual evidence;