good conscience
/ɡʊd ˈkɒnʃəns/
noun phrase
Origin
Latin/Germanic hybrid
bonus + conscientia — good + shared knowledge/consciousness
Overview
Meaning Now
- A state of mind free from guilt or remorse; a sense of having acted in accordance with one's moral principles.
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
god conscience
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The concept is deeply rooted in the Latin 'conscientia', which functioned as a 'witness' to one's actions. In the medieval period, having a 'good conscience' was a prerequisite for spiritual peace, reflecting a synthesis of Christian ethics and Roman jurisprudence.
Evolution
- 1st century AD (Latin)
conscientia
“shared knowledge or awareness”
Root concept of inner moral witness.
- 13th century (Old French)
conscience
“moral sense”
Adopted into English from Anglo-Norman.
- 14th century (Middle English)
god conscience
“a clear moral state”
Used in theological texts regarding the 'clean' heart.
- 16th-19th century
good conscience
“exoneration from blame”
Common in legal and religious discourse.
Connections
Word parts
good
root
morally excellent
con-
prefix
together
-science
root
knowledge
Related across languages
French
bonne conscience
good conscience
German
gutes Gewissen
good conscience
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Related to good conscience
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.