mores[mōr′ēz′, -āz′; môr′-; -ās]
- Mores is defined as the unspoken but understood norms of a community or society.
An example of mores is the morally strict behavior that is required in the south versus in another part of the US.
folkways that are considered conducive to the welfare of society and so, through general observance, develop the force of law, often becoming part of the formal legal code
Origin of moresClassical Latin plural of mos, custom: see mood
- The accepted traditional customs and usages of a particular social group.
- Moral attitudes.
- Manners; ways.
Origin of moresLatin mōrēs, pl. of mōs, custom; see mē-1 in Indo-European roots. Usage Note: Although educated 19th-century speakers of English would pronounce mores as (môr′ēz) according to the customary pronunciation of Latin in English-speaking countries at that time, 75 percent of the Usage Panel in 2005 found this same pronunciation unacceptable (although 5 percent actually preferred it). Nowadays, the accepted pronunciation is (môr′āz), with a long a as in days and a (z) sound at the end. It is incorrect to pronounce it as a single syllable (môrz), and the pronunciation ending with an (s) sound, which more closely resembles the way the Latin word was actually pronounced by the Romans, may sound pretentious.
- A set of moral norms or customs derived from generally accepted practices rather than written laws.