arete

[ ahr-i-tey ]
See synonyms for arete on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the aggregate of qualities, as valor and virtue, making up good character: Our greatest national heroes not only did extraordinary things, but had enormous arete.

Origin of arete

1
First recorded in 1550–70; from Greek aretḗ “excellence, virtue”

Words that may be confused with arete

Other definitions for arête (2 of 2)

arête
[ uh-reyt ]

nounPhysical Geography, Geology.
  1. a sharp rugged mountain ridge, produced by glaciation.

Origin of arête

2
First recorded in 1860–65; from French: literally, “fishbone, ridge, bridge (of the nose),” from Old French areste “sharp ridge,” from Latin arista “ear of grain (wheat), awn”

Words that may be confused with arête

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use arete in a sentence

  • Only after Calypso is put aside, do arete the wife and Nausicaa the maid become possible.

    Homer's Odyssey | Denton J. Snider
  • From the grot of Calypso he passes to the home of arete; both woman and man are in an ethical relation.

    Homer's Odyssey | Denton J. Snider
  • Still she withholds her sympathy at first for a good reason; arete is not wholly impulse and feeling, she has thought, reflection.

    Homer's Odyssey | Denton J. Snider
  • Pallas and Nausicaa, he first goes to arete and clasps her knees in supplication, begging for an escort to his country.

    Homer's Odyssey | Denton J. Snider
  • Altogether too sudden; arete would not have said that, though the woman be the natural match-maker.

    Homer's Odyssey | Denton J. Snider

British Dictionary definitions for arête

arête

/ (əˈreɪt, əˈrɛt) /


noun
  1. a sharp ridge separating two cirques or glacial valleys in mountainous regions

Origin of arête

1
C19: from French: fishbone, backbone (of a fish), ridge, sharp edge, from Latin arista ear of corn, fishbone

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for arête

arête

[ ə-rāt ]


  1. A sharp, narrow ridge or spur commonly found above the snow line in mountainous areas that have been sculpted by glaciers. Arêtes form as the result of the continued backward erosion of adjoining cirques.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.