:: COMPARE ::
The short answer
Reputation walks in the door with you; ethos has to be manufactured on stage. Aristotle's whole point is that the second is an art and the first isn't — which is why an unknown speaker can have enormous ethos and a famous one can squander theirs in a paragraph.
Side by side
| Aspect | Ethos | Reputation |
|---|---|---|
| Where it comes from | The speech | Before the speech |
| Can be learned | Yes — it's an art | No |
| Available to unknowns | Yes | No |
| Aristotle counts it | Yes | No |
What each one means
The characteristic spirit and values of a person, culture or institution. In Aristotle's Rhetoric it is narrower and sharper: persuasion achieved through the character the speaker projects in the course of speaking — not through their credentials.
Full definition of Ethos →The contrast above sets out how Reputation differs from Ethos on the points that actually matter.