MORAL, ETHICAL, VIRTUOUS, RIGHTEOUS, NOBLE mean conforming to a standard of what is right and good.

MORAL implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong.

e.g. the basic moral values of a community

ETHICAL may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity.

e.g. committed to the highest ethical principles

VIRTUOUS implies moral excellence in character.

e.g. not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless

RIGHTEOUS stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious.

e.g. wished to be righteous before God and the world

NOBLE implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character.

e.g. had the noblest of reasons for seeking office

1. (of a person or conduct) morally right or justifiable; virtuous:

〈人･行為などが〉(道義的に)正しい, 正義の; 高潔な; 〖the ～; 名詞的に; 集合的に〗 正義の人々 (!複数扱い)

e.g. feelings of righteous indignation about pay and conditions

e.g. he is a good, righteous man, I am sure.

2. US informal very good; excellent:

e.g. righteous bread pudding.

righteously |ˈrīCHəslē| adverb

Old English rihtwīs, from riht‘right’ + wīs ‘manner, state, condition’. The change in the ending in the 16th century was due to association with words such as bounteous.