ethos
[ ee-thos, ee-thohs, eth-os, -ohs ]
/ ˈi θɒs, ˈi θoʊs, ˈɛθ ɒs, -oʊs /
noun
Sociology.
the fundamental character or spirit of a culture; the underlying sentiment that informs the beliefs, customs, or practices of a group or society; dominant assumptions of a people or period: In the Greek ethos the individual was highly valued.
the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc.
the moral element in dramatic literature that determines a character's action rather than his or her thought or emotion.
Origin of ethos
1850–55; < Greek: custom, habit, character
Words nearby ethos
ethnotherapy,
ethogram,
ethol.,
ethology,
ethonone,
ethos,
ethosuximide,
ethoxide,
ethoxy,
ethoxyethane,
ethrog
Example sentences from the Web for ethos
British Dictionary definitions for ethos
ethos
/ (ˈiːθɒs) /
noun
the distinctive character, spirit, and attitudes of a people, culture, era, etc
the revolutionary ethos
Word Origin for ethos
C19: from Late Latin: habit, from Greek