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

  • The southern wall, though shrouded, seemed to rise in an unending series of beetling arêtes.

    Nan of Music Mountain | Frank H. Spearman
  • On the 20th Warren, having crept up the arêtes and dongas, began his attack.

    London to Ladysmith via Pretoria | Winston Spencer Churchill
  • Beyond the two arêtes the climbing on Cyfrwy is inferior, but between them there are a few interesting routes up the crags.

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.