Ethos
/ˈiːθɒs/
nounC1
Definition
Ethos is the character or spirit of a person, group, or culture shown by their beliefs, values, and behaviors. It explains what people believe is important and how they act because of these beliefs. You often hear about ethos when talking about companies, societies, or speeches that show a certain character.
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See It in Action
The guiding beliefs or spirit of a community or group
- •The ethos of the company focuses on honesty and customer care.
- •The school’s ethos encourages respect and learning.
- •The ethos of the team is to work hard and support each other.
The character or values shown in a speech or writing
- •The speaker’s ethos convinced the audience to trust her.
- •Good writers create an ethos that makes readers believe their ideas.
- •Politicians often use ethos to show they share the people’s values.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "ethos" like "style," but for ideas and values that guide how people behave, not just how they look
- ✓Picture a team wearing the same color and working together because they believe in fairness and hard work
- ✓It's the feeling you get when you know a place or person has strong, clear beliefs that shape everything they do
- ✓Sounds like "EE-thoss" → imagine "EE" as energy and "thoss" like "boss" — energy from a leader’s beliefs that guide others
- ✓Think of a superhero group with a clear mission and rules they always follow — their ethos is their guiding spirit
- ✓NOT like "ethics" (rules about right and wrong), ethos is broader and includes overall spirit and culture
- ✓NOT like "personality" (individual feelings), ethos is about shared beliefs of a group or culture
- ✓NOT like "law" (official rules), ethos is about informal ideas and attitudes that influence behavior
Try Other Words
- •Culture: shared beliefs and customs of a group (Use when focusing on traditions and daily life)
- •Values: important ideas or principles (Use when focusing on what people think is right)
- •Character: qualities that make someone or something special (Use when focusing on personality or nature)
- •Spirit: energy or feeling that guides behavior (Use when focusing on mood or attitude)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix) — "ethos" is a whole root word
- •Etymology: From Greek "ēthos," meaning character, custom, or habit
- •Historical development: Used in ancient Greek philosophy to describe the character of a person or community
- •Modern usage: Used in English to describe the guiding beliefs or character of groups, cultures, or speakers, especially in writing and speeches
Reflect & Connect
•How does the ethos of a group affect the way its members behave every day?
•Can a person have an ethos, or is it only for groups and cultures? How would you describe your own ethos?
Fill in the blanks
1.The company’s ethos ___ honesty and good service as very important values.
2.When a speaker has strong ethos, the audience is more likely to ___ their message.
3.Unlike laws, ethos is about shared ___ and beliefs, not official rules.
4.A team’s ethos can help members feel ___ and work better together.
5.Writers use ethos to create ___ and trust with their readers.
6.The ethos of a culture is shown through its ___ and traditions.
7.If a group changes its ethos, its members may also ___ how they act.