Definition

Relating to the branch of philosophy that examines the nature, foundations, and meaning of ethical concepts and theories.

Example

The philosopher wrote a paper on metaethical theories to explore the meaning of moral language.

Conversation

I’ve been reading about some pretty interesting philosophical theories lately.

Oh really? Like what?

One topic that caught my attention is metaethical questions about morality.

That sounds deep! What did you learn about it?

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Metaethical → It is formed from "meta-" (from Greek "μετά", meaning beyond or after) and "ethos" (from Greek "ἦθος", meaning character or moral nature). The word "metaethical" refers to concepts that go beyond the basic principles of ethics, exploring the nature and meaning of ethical statements and judgments.

Memory Tip

Think of 'beyond' ('meta-') the basic ideas of 'character' ('ethos') to remember that 'metaethical' deals with the deeper questions of ethics.

Visually Confused Words