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definitions

heterotelic

[ het-er-uh-tel-ik, -tee-lik ]
/ ˌhɛt ər əˈtɛl ɪk, -ˈti lɪk /

adjective

(of an entity or event) having the purpose of its existence or occurrence outside of or apart from itself.

Nearby words

  1. heterosuggestion,
  2. heterotactic,
  3. heterotaxia,
  4. heterotaxic,
  5. heterotaxis,
  6. heterothallic,
  7. heterotonia,
  8. heterotopia,
  9. heterotransplant,
  10. heterotransplantation
Compare autotelic.

Origin of heterotelic

First recorded in 1900–05; hetero- + tel-2 + -ic
Related formshet·er·o·tel·ism, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019