scrupulous
careful, principled, and unwilling to do what feels morally wrong
Roots
- -ous / -ious: full of or marked by a quality
- scrup / scruple: small sharp pebble, moral hesitation, or prick of conscience
Other words with the scrup / scruple root
- scruple: a small moral hesitation or principle
- unscrupulous: dishonest because moral limits do not stop the person
Scrup starts with a tiny sharp pebble, then becomes a prick of conscience. Scrupulous care notices the pebble before stepping forward.
A scrupulous researcher reported the awkward data instead of hiding it.
A scruple was once a tiny weight or sharp little stone. That image is perfect for the modern word: a small moral discomfort that refuses to disappear.
A scrupulous person feels that pebble in the shoe before taking the easy dishonest step. Unscrupulous means the opposite: no pebble, no pause, no moral checkpoint.