1 teleologic | Definition of teleologic
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teleological

adjective
tel路​e路​o路​log路​i路​cal | \ 藢te-l膿-蓹-藞l盲-ji-k蓹l How to pronounce teleological (audio) , 藢t膿-\
variants: or less commonly teleologic \ 藢te-​l膿-​蓹-​藞l盲-​jik How to pronounce teleologic (audio) , 藢t膿-​ \

Definition of teleological

: exhibiting or relating to design or purpose especially in nature
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Other Words from teleological

teleologically \ 藢te-​l膿-​蓹-​藞l盲-​ji-​k(蓹-​)l膿 How to pronounce teleologically (audio) , 藢t膿-​ \ adverb

Did You Know?

Teleological (which comes to us by way of New Latin from the Greek root tele-, telos, meaning "end or purpose") and its close relative teleology both entered English in the 18th century, followed by teleologist in the 19th century. Teleology has the basic meaning of "the study of ends or purposes." A teleologist attempts to understand the purpose of something by looking at its results. A teleological philosopher might argue that we should judge whether an act is good or bad by seeing if it produces a good or bad result, and a teleological explanation of evolutionary changes claims that all such changes occur for a definite purpose.

Examples of teleological in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Too conservative, too wrapped up in the idea of human nature and teleological ends. — Max C. Eden, National Review, "The Latest Education-Policy Fad Amounts to Social and Emotional Engineering," 27 Aug. 2019 Different groups throughout Indian history have鈥攍ike several others across the world鈥攖ried to look to their past and to religious texts to locate a teleological narrative. — Vikram Sampath, Quartz India, "The father of Hindutva believed Aryans migrated to India," 20 Aug. 2019 That is, to be less deontological (rights-based in their advocacy) and more teleological (ends-based). — George Will, National Review, "Bikini-Clad Baristas Serve Up a Lesson in Free Speech," 4 Oct. 2017 Its underlying, often unarticulated, faith in some kind of immanent teleological law of progress is still apparently impervious to empirical falsification by actual historical events. — M. D. Aeschliman, National Review, "The Restoration of the Person and the Uses of Memory," 7 Oct. 2017 Such teleological smugness (to which Barack Obama was likewise prone) doesn鈥檛 just attract the ire of conservatives; liberals can get miffed, too. — T.a. Frank, The Hive, "Can Hillary Clinton Please Go Quietly into the Night?," 9 June 2017 Parenting is teleological; parents rear a child to become an adult. — Melanie Thernstrom, New York Times, "When Do You Give Up on Treating a Child With Cancer?," 12 May 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'teleological.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of teleological

1797, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for teleological

teleological

adjective
te路​le路​o路​log路​i路​cal | \ 藢tel-膿-蓹-藞l盲j-i-k蓹l How to pronounce teleological (audio) , 藢t膿l- How to pronounce teleological (audio) \
variants: also teleologic \ -​藞l盲j-​ik How to pronounce teleologic (audio) \

Medical Definition of teleological

: exhibiting or relating to design or purpose especially in nature

Other Words from teleological

teleologically \ -​i-​k(蓹-​)l膿 How to pronounce teleologically (audio) \ adverb

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