moral compass
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moral compass
- /ˌmɒɹəl ˈkʌmpəs/ UK
- /ˌmɒɹl̩-/ UK
- /ˌmɔɹəl ˈkʌmpəs/ US
Where it comes from
From moral (“of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behaviour; conforming to a standard of right behaviour”) + compass (“device used to determine the cardinal directions”), from the fact that a compass indicates various directions on its face (sense 3), and enables its user to find the correct direction to go in (sense 1).
noun moral compasses
-
An inner sense that distinguishes right from wrong, functioning as a guide for morally appropriate behavior.
To every sane man in all climes and ages the great Creator has given a moral compass to enable him to avoid the wrong and follow the right. This moral compass we call conscience.
Similar: conscience, moral sense
- A belief system, person, etc., serving as a guide for morally appropriate behavior. Their catastrophe stemmed from disregarding Christian doctrine: radix malorum est cupiditas (greed is the root of all evil). Without a moral compass, [Robert] Stone's characters cannot even plead ignorance.
- The full range of actions, vices, or virtues, which may affect others and which are available as choices to a person, group, or people in general. [W]hile blowing opposite arguments from every point of the moral compass, the adventurous Baron quietly saw himself left to navigate his own vessel his own way, through this storm of his own raising.
Translations
Every language
noun inner sense which distinguishes what is right from what is wrong
| 中文 | 本心 běnxīn, 良心 liángxīn, 良知 liángzhī, 天良 tiānliáng |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Wertekompass |
Talk about this word "moral compass." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/moral%20compass. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. moral compass. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/moral%20compass "moral compass." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/moral%20compass.Cite this
@misc{moral_compass_2026,
title = {moral compass},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/moral%20compass},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
