arete
Knife-edge mountain crest
Arete is a Greek term for excellence or virtue—the fulfillment of one's potential and purpose.
In ancient philosophy, arete meant being the best version of what something is meant to be: a knife's arete is sharpness, a horse's is speed, a person's is moral and intellectual excellence.
The word appears in discussions of classical philosophy and ethics: The Greeks believed arete could be cultivated through practice.
Outstanding quality or merit
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- goodnessMoral excellence
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
ethics · morality · honor · nobility · dignity · valor · courage · wisdom
Critically narrow margin
- pinnacleUtmost summit or spire
- cragSteep rugged outcrop
- summitPeak or diplomatic gathering
- escarpmentSteep slope dividing elevations
exposure · scrambling · alpinism · mountaineering · climbing · traverse · col · saddle
Greek founder of formal logic
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
- SocratesAncient Athenian questioning philosopher
- telosUltimate purpose or goal
- Greek philosophyClassical Mediterranean intellectual tradition
Nicomachean Ethics · golden mean · human flourishing · soul · reason · logos · Stoicism · virtuous life
Complete skill or control
- prowessOutstanding skill or valor
- proficiencySkilled performance level
- superiorityHigher rank or quality
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
eminence · expertise · skillfulness · brilliance · genius · talent · competence · capability
Pointed animal headgear
- cirqueGlacier-carved mountain basin
- moraineGlacier-deposited debris pile
- tarnGlacial mountain pool
- fjordGlacially carved coastal inlet
cwm · Matterhorn · freeze-thaw · erosion · headwall
excellence
Outstanding quality or merit
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- goodnessMoral excellence
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
integrity · ethics · morality · honor · nobility · dignity · valor · courage · wisdom · temperance
knife-edge
Critically narrow margin
escarpment · exposure · scrambling · alpinism · mountaineering · climbing · traverse · col · saddle · cornice
Aristotle
Greek founder of formal logic
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
- SocratesAncient Athenian questioning philosopher
- telosUltimate purpose or goal
Greek philosophy · Nicomachean Ethics · golden mean · human flourishing · soul · reason · logos · Stoicism · virtuous life · moral philosophy
mastery
Complete skill or control
- prowessOutstanding skill or valor
- proficiencySkilled performance level
- superiorityHigher rank or quality
distinction · eminence · expertise · skillfulness · brilliance · genius · talent · competence · capability · aptitude
horn
Pointed animal headgear
fjord · cwm · Matterhorn · freeze-thaw · erosion · headwall
- joyeríacollar, tiara
- pendienteclip
- landformsmountain, cliff, valley, volcano, mountain ridge
- montagneMont Blanc, K2, Matterhorn, Kilimanjaro, Denali
- AlpsAlps, Swiss Alps, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Austrian Alps
- Greek wordsalpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon
aretedome
Rounded vault forming roof
plateau · valley · basin · gentle slope · rolling hills
aretevice
Bad habit or deputy
baseness · depravity · wickedness · deficiency · corruption