Skip to main content
moral value

moral value

19 3.7
A belief about what is right and wrong that guides how people act
  • noun
  • /ˈmɔrəl ˈvælju/
translation icon : valor moral
  • The community gathered to discuss the declining moral values that they believed were affecting society.
  • moral value of an action
  • acquire moral values
  • traditional moral values

I do not assign a moral value to my father versus a pig.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Pedagogy is focused on imparting moral values and cultural norms.

  • I want the moral values of the story brought out.

  • Well, I believe that is a moral value of culture.

  • And children are not born with a sense of moral values.

  • In particular, he says that moral values help us construct the self.

  • Parents, as well as the extended family, need to instill moral values in their children.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Society, culture, and religion dictate many of the moral values or principles that individuals strive to achieve.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Parents play a crucial role in teaching their children important moral values that help them distinguish right from wrong.

  • Many educators agree that promoting moral values in schools can lead to better behavior among students.

Synonyms

value
vsmoral value
3.4

An idea about what is right and important in life

is specifically about distinguishing right from wrong, not general importance
principle
vsmoral value
410 3.4

A moral rule that guides what you think is right or wrong

is a broader standard rather than a single explicit rule
virtue
vsmoral value
259 3.8

A good personal quality like honesty or kindness

is about rules that guide action rather than personal qualities
moral principle
vsmoral value
8 4.4

A rule or belief about what is right and wrong that guides how people act

focuses on a guiding standard rather than only a held belief

How Important

moral value
19 3.7
value
3.4
preference
35 3.2

Surface Forms

moral value singular
moral values plural

Morphology

moral + value

The meaning 'a principle or standard that distinguishes right from wrong' is directly derivable from combining 'moral' (relating to ethics) with 'value' (a belief or ideal). This adjective+noun composition is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the phrase.

Etymology

Moral value gives a simple image: a scale that weighs how good or bad an action is. The part moral is about 'right' and 'wrong' and the part value is about worth, so together they mean a principle that helps 'guide' our choices.