English
morality
Morality comes from Late Latin mōrālitās ‘manner, characteristic, character’, and goes back to Proto-Italic *mōs.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mōsreconstructedearlier origin unknown
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōs‘manner, custom’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōrālis‘relating to manners or morals’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmōrālitās‘manner, characteristic, character’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400moralité
- Englishearliest quotation 1781morality
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mōsreconstructedearlier origin unknown
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōs‘manner, custom’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōrālis‘relating to manners or morals’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmōrālitās‘manner, characteristic, character’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400moralité
- Englishearliest quotation 1781morality
Earliest quotation: 1781, Samuel Johnson, Sheffield: “His morality was such as naturally proceeds from loose…”
Formed from moral + -ity
Proto-Italic *mōs ‘custom, manner’
Latin mōs ‘way or manner’
Latin mōrālis ‘relating to manners or morals’
Old French moral
Middle English moral
English moral
Linked words
through Latin mōs ‘manner, custom’
through Latin mōrālis ‘relating to manners or morals’
Today it means
noun Recognition of the distinction between good and evil or between right and wrong; respect for and obedience to the rules of right conduct; the mental disposition or characteristic of behaving in a manner intended to produce morally good results.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *mōs / morality