entelechy
en·tel·e·chy/ɛnˈtɛləki/noun
entelechy is a noun meaning “The complete realisation and final form of some potential concept or function; the conditions under which a potential thing becomes actualized” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). It is spelled E-N-T-E-L-E-C-H-Y and has 4 syllables (en·tel·e·chy), and it appears about once in every 63 million words in written English (wordfreq, 2021 data). The plural of entelechy is entelechies.
What does entelechy mean?
noun
- 1
The complete realisation and final form of some potential concept or function; the conditions under which a potential thing becomes actualized.
- 2
In the metaphysics of Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.) and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716): a soul; a monad (Leibniz).
Aristotle […] calleth it [the soul] Entelechy, or perfection moving of it selfe (as cold an invention as any other) for he neither speaketh of the essence, nor of the beginning, nor of the soules nature; but onely noteth the effects of it [
- 3
A particular type of motivation, need for self-determination, and inner strength directing life and growth to become all one is capable of being; the need to actualize one's beliefs; having both a personal vision and the ability to actualize that vision from within.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you pronounce entelechy?
- UK /ɛnˈtɛləki/
Entelechy has 4 syllables, split en·tel·e·chy in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-entelechy.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of entelechy
- entelechies plural
- entelech
- entelechia
- entelechie
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How common is entelechy?
Entelechy appears about once in every 63 million words in written English, the 249,463rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Entelechy in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense complete realisation and final form of some potential concept or function:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | entéléchie |
| German | Entelechie |
| Portuguese | entelequia |
| Spanish | entelequia |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does entelechy come from?
From Late Latin entelechia, from Ancient Greek ἐντελέχεια (entelékheia), coined by Aristotle from ἐντελής (entelḗs, “complete, finished, perfect”) (from τέλος (télos, “end, fruition, accomplishment”)) + ἔχω (ékhō, “to have”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).