Protestant ethic

noun

: an ethic that stresses the virtue of hard work, thrift, and self-discipline

Examples of Protestant ethic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The approach is classically American: the Protestant ethic, applied to the work of slumber. Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2023 For the present-day inheritors of the Protestant ethic, status is defined by having the right opinions on social and cultural issues. Ian Buruma, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2023 The German sociologist Max Weber was the first great theorist of the Protestant ethic. George Blaustein, The New Republic, 2 July 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Protestant ethic was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near Protestant ethic

Cite this Entry

“Protestant ethic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Protestant%20ethic. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Protestant ethic

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!