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Synonyms

final cause

American  

noun

Aristotelianism.
  1. cause8b


final cause British  

noun

  1. philosophy the end or purpose of a thing or process, as opposed to its efficient cause See cause

"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

Etymology

Origin of final cause

First recorded in 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The leading pathologist said the final cause of death was "not clear" due to the numerous injuries that could have led to Alfie's death.

From BBC Oct. 4, 2023

The next day, Mr. Ketler’s body was taken to the city’s morgue, where the final cause of death was established.

From New York Times Jul. 3, 2022

Each final cause leads to another, until we get to the first cause or prime mover.

From Textbooks Jun. 15, 2022

"The final cause and manner of death will be determined based on the outcome of the autopsy," the release added.

From Fox News Jul. 5, 2021

In Pascal’s account of why the mercury does not descend in the Torricellian tube the formal and material causes are so attenuated as to be uninteresting, and the final cause has disappeared completely.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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