entelechy
/ɛnˈtɛləki/
"entelechy" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“entelechy” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The complete realisation and final form of some potential concept or function; the conditions under which a potential thing becomes actualized.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | entelechy |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ɛnˈtɛləki/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “entelechy” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
entelechy is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɛnˈtɛləki/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for entelechy, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.
Etymologically, the entry records: 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”). The correct English form is entelechy, spelled E-N-T-E-L-E-C-H-Y.
Definition
- 1The complete realisation and final form of some potential concept or function; the conditions under which a potential thing becomes actualized.
- 2The complete realisation and final form of some potential concept or function; the conditions under which a potential thing becomes actualized.
- 3A 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.
Etymology
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”).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “entelechy”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is E-N-T-E-L-E-C-H-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ɛnˈtɛləki/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.