arete

¹ American  

[ahr-i-tey] / ˌɑr ɪˈteɪ /

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.

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arête ² American  

[uh-reyt] / əˈreɪt /

noun

Physical Geography, Geology.

1. a sharp rugged mountain ridge, produced by glaciation.

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arête British  

/ əˈrɛt, əˈreɪt /

noun

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

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arête Scientific  

/ 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.

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Etymology

Origin of arete¹

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

Origin of arête¹

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”

Example Sentences

The tattoo I didn’t get was going to be the ancient Greek word “arete,” which means, among other things, excellence.

From New York Times

According to Ríos, at the orders of the defendant, the "arete" was put on an elevated area in front of a small graveyard they had dug.

From Fox News

This funky goop, called gloios and thought to contain the essence of arete — valor, excellence — was often funneled into small vials and sold at gyms for medicinal purposes.

From New York Times

For Aristotle, it required a combination of rationality and arete—a kind of virtue, although that concept has since been polluted by Christian moralizing.

From The New Yorker

The gymnasion was where boys attained manhood in the broadest sense of the term and adult men pursued arete: their full physical, intellectual, emotional, social and moral potential.

From Time

Related Words

• excellence
• fulfillment
• potential