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 arête²

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

En otro grupo, no les gustó que un chico llevara un arete, otro tuviera el pelo largo y un tercero llevara una hebilla de cinturón que no hacía juego.

From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2022

Both poems celebrated arete — a Greek virtue which can be translated in English as “excellence” and “success,” but must be understood as a moral characteristic as much as a physical or mental one.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2019

In doing so, they sacrifice the wallet’s core virtue—what Plato would have called its arete.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2015

“The themes of Walt’s need to express his excellence — arete — has been there from the beginning,” Cyrino said.

From Forbes • Sep. 28, 2013

Aristotle sought to rescue rhetoric from its place as a purely instrumental art: the highest rhetorical accomplishment, for Aristotle, was an expression of arete, or virtue.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Related Words

• excellence
• fulfillment
• potential