Adiaphorous

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describing a condition where moral significance is absent or disregarded
2. Pertaining to situations or actions that are not influenced by ethical concerns or considerations
3. Relating to things or actions that have no ethical impact or importance

Etymology: The Greek "adiaphoros" was built from "a-", meaning "not", and "diaphoros", meaning "different" or "differing", so its literal sense is "not differing." Ancient Greek philosophers used it for things that were morally neutral: items that were neither good nor bad in themselves, such as wealth, health, or reputation. Later Stoics developed this notion, and the Greek word passed into Latin as "adiaphorus," keeping the sense of indifference. English took the word in its adjectival form, and its use has long been strongest in theology and ethics. Its most notable turn came in the Christian debates of the sixteenth century, when "adiaphora" (the plural noun) was used for practices the Bible neither commands nor forbids, such as certain ceremonies and church customs that could be kept or dropped without sin. The adjective describes the same idea: an action that carries no moral weight either way.