Home › Technology › Ethics in Science & Tech › integrity

integrity

in-TEG-rih-tee /ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/

nounC1GRETOEFLIELTS

formalgeneral

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

Can also refer to the state of being whole and undivided (e.g., 'structural integrity'), but in ethics, it's about moral soundness.

The story behind the word. The word 'integrity' comes from the Latin 'integritas,' meaning 'wholeness, completeness, purity.' This is related to 'integer,' meaning 'untouched, whole.' The idea is that a person of integrity is 'whole' or 'complete' in their moral character, not divided or corrupted. It signifies an unwavering adherence to a strong moral code, making it a cornerstone of ethical behavior.

Word relationships

honesty: The quality of being truthful.
probity: The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.
uprightness: The quality of being honorable and honest.

corruption: Dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
dishonesty: Deceitfulness or lack of honesty.

Word family

integral (adjective): necessary to make a whole complete; fundamental.
integrate (verb): to combine (one thing) with another so that they become a whole.

Collocations

moral integrity
personal integrity
academic integrity
data integrity
lack of integrity
uphold integrity

Example sentences

"She was known for her unwavering integrity, always doing the right thing even when no one was watching." In personal character.
"Maintaining academic integrity is crucial for the credibility of research." In professional ethics.
"Ensuring the integrity of data means protecting it from unauthorized alteration or corruption." Regarding data security.

Memory hook

Think of 'INTEGRITY' as being 'INTACT' and 'WHOLE' in your moral character. Moral wholeness.

When not to use

Do not use 'integrity' to refer to simple honesty if the context doesn't imply a broader adherence to moral principles or a state of being complete and uncorrupted.

Fun facts

In computer science, 'data integrity' refers to the accuracy and consistency of data over its entire life cycle.