moral minimum
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.26 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A standard or principle upheld as indispensable for moral conduct, whether within a particular context or in general.
noun
The specific rule that one should do no intentional harm, often considered the bare minimum required for ethical behavior.
Example Sentences
- "John Stuart Mill . . . was not long in proving that the moral minimum of wages was a myth."
- "These moral minima are found in the many criminal laws."
- "Walzer speculates that a comparison of the moral codes found in various societies might produce "a set of standards to which all societies can be held—negative injunctions, most likely, rules against murder, deceit, torture, oppression, and tyranny." These standards would constitute "the moral minimum.""
- "First, consider the moral minimum, do no harm."