The Collaborative International Dictionary
Deontology \De`on*tol"o*gy\, n. [Gr. ? gen. ?, necessity,
obligation (p. neut. of ? it is necessary) + -logy.]
The science which relates to duty or moral obligation.
--J.
Bentham.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
science of moral duty, 1826, from Greek deont-, comb. form of deon "that which is binding, duty," neuter present participle of dei "is binding;" + -ology. Said to have been coined by Bentham. Related: Deontological.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context ethics English) ethics 2 (context ethics English) the normative ethics position that judges the morality of an action based on the action's adherence to a rules or obligations rather than either the inherent goodness or the consequences of those actions.
Usage examples of "deontology".
Accordingly, general deontology, in that part which brings not external, but internal, freedom under laws is the doctrine of virtue.
Thus the system of general deontology is divided into that of jurisprudence (jurisprudentia), which is capable of external laws, and of ethics, which is not thus capable, and we may let this division stand.
Here, therefore, deontology is a mere scientific doctrine (doctrina scientiae).