# arete **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arete/57195 "2001-03-08T04:33:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![x27](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/7993a0/32.png) [@x27](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x27)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arete/57195/1 "2001-03-08T04:33:34Z")
Does anyone have any thoughts on the concept of “arete”? My parents told me that it meant “virtue and excelence”, and a student of clasical greek that I met when I was in high school said “Ahah, the heroic ideal!”, a definition I’ve always loved. (My name is Arettie. Spelling a Victorian affectation. I’m the fourth in my family.) (ahhh…where else could I ask such a thing? what a nice message board!) ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arete/57195/2 "2001-03-08T04:51:13Z")
Welcome, **x27** , to the SDMB! Have fun! [This Google search](http://www.google.com/search?q=arete+meaning) may help you out. “Arete” means all things of excellence, persuit of excellence, virtue, etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![typo\_mna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eb8c5e/32.png) [@typo\_mna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typo_mna)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arete/57195/3 "2001-03-08T05:28:19Z")
I thought an arete was a geological feature. A narrow spire, caused somehow by glacial action, as I recall. [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) seems to confirm this. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arete/57195/4 "2001-03-08T07:06:10Z")
If you try Google, use arete _and_ hubris as search arguments. Arete alone will bring back a million name brand products where the merchants had the hubris to think that their product was the best. Once you’ve used Google, be prepared for disappointment. Most of the hits are for college syllabus offerings that are mere outlines without explanations. Your best bet would probably be a good text book on literature, particularly Ancient Greek literature. I did find these two sites that have _some_ info: [http://www.nyu.edu/classes/henry/qfk98/ec2.html](http://www.nyu.edu/classes/henry/qfk98/ec2.html) and this sports program [http://www.cortland.edu/www/physed/aretephilosophy.html](http://www.cortland.edu/www/physed/aretephilosophy.html) **typo mna** , you are correct, except that **x27** ’s parents have already indicated the meaning from literature. ---
**Author:** ![x27](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/7993a0/32.png) [@x27](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x27)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2001, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arete/57195/5 "2001-03-09T17:25:39Z")
Thanks for your kind replies and helpful links! ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2001, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arete/57195/6 "2001-03-11T02:55:35Z")
They also used it in a technological/artistic sense, meaning excellence of form and function. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2001, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arete/57195/7 "2001-03-11T04:30:29Z")
And here I always thought that it meant “stop” in Quebec French. No, wait. That’s “arrêt”. 🙂