Good, moral, etc. Ethical often implies that something has been judged to be good by applying a rational standard of some sort to it. This is superior to "moral," which generally means simply that something is traditionally considered to be good, regardless of its consequences for the real world.

Eth"ic (?), Eth"ic*al (?), a. [L. ethicus, Gr. , fr. custom, usage, character, dwelling; akin to custom, Goth. sidus, G. sitte, Skr. svadh, prob. orig., one's own doing; sva self + dh to set: cf. F. 'ethique. 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.

The ethical meaning of the miracles.
Trench.

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?

 

© Webster 1913.