Ethics \Eth"ics\, n. [Cf. F. ['e]thique. See Ethic.]

The science of human duty; the body of rules of duty drawn from this science; a particular system of principles and rules concerting duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions; as, political or social ethics; medical ethics.

The completeness and consistency of its morality is the peculiar praise of the ethics which the Bible has taught. --I. Taylor.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)