Is "moral rectitude" redundant?

Apsu · Nov 2, 2009

Just an honest question for those more knowledgeable than myself. I know I commonly hear the two used together, but, in the spirit of striving for learning, I realized I didn't know what "rectitude" meant when I heard it tonight, and decided to look it up.

Turns out it means
1. Moral uprightness; righteousness.
2. The quality or condition of being correct in judgment.
3. The quality of being straight.
from this online dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rectitude.

And it seemed redundant, after reading that, to add the modifier "moral" to a word that already bears that word in its meaning.

Thanks

PeterL · Nov 3, 2009

I don't see any redundancy in that phrase, nor do I see redundancy in "moral terpitude". Rectitude has come to mean moral uprightnessm but its basic meaning is the quality of standing up.

girlyswot · Nov 3, 2009

Depends on the context. Sometimes it will be obvious that the sphere of reference is morality, so you don't need the qualifier. Other times it won't be. Rectitude on its own has ambiguity, so something is needed to make the specific meaning clear.

dawinsor · Nov 3, 2009

Hm. Dictionary.com defines "rectitude" as

rightness of principle or conduct; moral virtue: the rectitude of her motives.

That does suggest the phrase is redundant.

veronie · Nov 3, 2009

You could say "moral depravity," thus rendering the word "moral" with a neutral meaning modified by the following word. I suspect something similar, if not exactly the same, is going on with "moral rectitude."

veinglory · Nov 3, 2009

Rectitude basically means 'being correct'. It has become tied to morality because it is archaic and rarely used in any other way, but it does not necessarily have that meaning. One could say something like: 'as an accountant I support your financial rectitude', or 'Martha was known for insisting on rectitude of dress, in strict compliance with the office dress code'.

girlyswot · Nov 3, 2009

dawinsor said:
Hm. Dictionary.com defines "rectitude" as

rightness of principle or conduct; moral virtue: the rectitude of her motives.

That does suggest the phrase is redundant.

Nah, it suggests you shouldn't always believe free online dictionaries.

Is "moral rectitude" redundant?

Apsu

Orange

PeterL

girlyswot

dawinsor

Dorothy A. Winsor

veronie

practical experience, FTW

veinglory

volitare nequeo

girlyswot