BusinessJuly 13, 2026

ethos

/ˈiːθɒs/

Definition

The characteristic spirit, culture, or fundamental guiding principles that shape the operations and priorities of an organization.

Etymology

Derived directly from the ancient Greek word 'ethos,' meaning 'custom' or 'habit.' It entered English in the 19th century to describe the distinctive spirit or underlying character of a group or culture.

In the news

The article refers to a 'new Pentagon ethos' that currently prioritizes smaller, faster-to-deploy weaponry. This shift in guiding philosophy explains why the defense department is rapidly accelerating funding for certain agile start-ups.

Trump’s sons invest heavily in defense tech as father’s administration pours money in

Read the full article ↗

The Washington Post

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.

Not for marketing. One email on launch day.