1. moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity
Usage: often used with ‘of’
2. the branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles
Usage: academic field

Examples

• Medical ethics require doctors to do no harm to their patients.
• The company’s business ethics were questioned after the scandal.
• She studied ethics as part of her philosophy degree.
• Professional ethics prevent lawyers from revealing client information.
• The ethics of genetic engineering are widely debated.
• His personal ethics wouldn’t allow him to cheat on the exam.
• The university offers a course in applied ethics.