ethos
Soul of community
Ethos is the characteristic spirit or guiding beliefs of a community, culture, or movement: the Protestant work ethic, the ethos of Silicon Valley startups.
It captures the underlying values and attitudes that shape how a group thinks and acts.
In rhetoric, ethos refers specifically to a speaker's credibility or moral character as a persuasive tool—distinct from logos (logic) and pathos (emotion).
Moral soundness and consistency
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- honestyTruthfulness, sincerity
decency · rectitude · probity · uprightness · honor · principles · code · conduct
Established body of teachings
- creedStatement of belief
- ideologyStructured belief framework
- philosophyStudy of fundamental truths
- tenetsFoundational beliefs of doctrine
convictions · worldview · credo · guiding principles · outlook · mindset · orientation · perspective
Soul, mood, or liquor
- personalityCharacteristic mental patterns
- identityWho someone is
- natureInherent quality or disposition
- essenceFundamental nature of something
temperament · disposition · tone · atmosphere · feel · quality · fiber · soul
Unity among allies
- cohesionTendency to bind together
- togethernessState of close connection
- fellowshipMutual goodwill among companions
- collective spiritShared sense of purpose
shared values · group identity · social fabric · common purpose · mutual respect · belonging · unity · cooperation
Long-established customs passed down
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
- normsExpected behavioral standards
- moresBinding social standards
practices · way of life · cultural identity · shared beliefs · rituals · conventions · folkways · lifeways
integrity
Moral soundness and consistency
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
honesty · decency · rectitude · probity · uprightness · honor · principles · code · conduct · standards
doctrine
Established body of teachings
- creedStatement of belief
- ideologyStructured belief framework
- philosophyStudy of fundamental truths
tenets · convictions · worldview · credo · guiding principles · outlook · mindset · orientation · perspective · stance
spirit
Soul, mood, or liquor
- personalityCharacteristic mental patterns
- identityWho someone is
- natureInherent quality or disposition
essence · temperament · disposition · tone · atmosphere · feel · quality · fiber · soul · heart
solidarity
Unity among allies
- cohesionTendency to bind together
- togethernessState of close connection
- fellowshipMutual goodwill among companions
collective spirit · shared values · group identity · social fabric · common purpose · mutual respect · belonging · unity · cooperation · communal bonds
traditions
Long-established customs passed down
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
- normsExpected behavioral standards
mores · practices · way of life · cultural identity · shared beliefs · rituals · conventions · folkways · lifeways · organizational culture
- beliefsbelief, beliefs, creed, creeds, faith
- Greek wordsalpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon
- Greek conceptslogos, pathos, hubris, arete, telos
- literary devicesmetaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, alliteration
- literary termsmetaphor, character analysis, symbolism, prologue, epilogue
- philosophylogic, metaphysics, ontology, epistemology, axiology
ethospathos
Pity-evoking quality
logos · emotional appeal · logical argument · evidence-based reasoning · reason
ethosbody
Physical structure, living thing
physicality · flesh · matter · materiality · corporeality
- work ethicDedication to doing one's job
- ethical dutyWhat one ought morally
- ethical conflictCompeting duties or values
- ethics trainingInstruction in professional conduct
- journalism ethicsMoral guidelines for reporters
- ethical dilemmaSituation with competing values
ethics, ethical, ethic, unethical, ethically, bioethics, ethicality, work ethic, bioethical