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ética

EH-tee-kah/ˈetika/

ethics

Also: morality
NounfB1
A simple balance scale with a golden heart on one side and a green leaf on the other.

📝 In Action

La ética es una rama de la filosofía que estudia la conducta humana.

B2

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies human behavior.

En la universidad tomé una clase sobre ética.

B1

In university, I took a class on ethics.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • moralidad (morality)

Common Collocations

  • ética aplicada – applied ethics

ethics

Also: morals
NounfB1
A person helping an elderly person cross a street in a friendly neighborhood.

📝 In Action

Su ética de trabajo es admirable.

B1

His work ethic is admirable.

El médico debe seguir una ética profesional muy estricta.

B2

The doctor must follow a very strict professional ethic.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • inmoralidad (immorality)

Common Collocations

  • ética profesional – professional ethics
  • ética de trabajo – work ethic

ethical

Also: moral
A person choosing to put a piece of litter into a recycling bin instead of on the ground.

📝 In Action

No fue una decisión ética.

A2

It wasn't an ethical decision.

Buscamos una solución que sea ética y justa.

B1

We are looking for a solution that is ethical and fair.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • moral (moral)
  • íntegra (upright/honest)

Antonyms

  • antiética (unethical)
  • inmoral (immoral)

Common Collocations

  • conducta ética – ethical conduct
  • decisión ética – ethical decision

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: ética

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'ética' as a description (adjective)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
ético(ethical (masculine)) — Adjective
éticamente(ethically) — Adverb
moral(moral) — Noun / Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
estéticamagnéticapoética
📚 Etymology▼

From the Ancient Greek word 'ethos', which meant 'character' or 'custom'. It traveled through Latin as 'ethica' before becoming the Spanish word we use today.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: ethicsFrench: éthiqueItalian: etica

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'ética' and 'moral'?

While often used as synonyms, 'ética' usually refers to the formal study or professional codes, while 'moral' often refers to personal or religious beliefs about what is right.

Does 'ética' ever take the article 'el'?

No. Unlike 'el agua' or 'el hambre', 'ética' starts with 'e', so it always uses 'la'.