english word · 2026-06-01
Entelechy
noun
Meaning
The realization of potential; the vital force that guides an organism or idea toward its complete fulfillment. It represents the transition from a state of possibility to a state of actuality.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek 'entelecheia', coined by Aristotle from 'entelēs' (complete) and 'echein' (to have).
Examples
"The sculptor believed the stone possessed an inherent entelechy, waiting for his chisel to reveal the form inside."
"She viewed her long years of study not as a chore, but as the entelechy of her childhood curiosity."
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