n., pl., -gies.
- The study of design or purpose in natural phenomena.
- The use of ultimate purpose or design as a means of explaining phenomena.
- Belief in or the perception of purposeful development toward an end, as in nature or history.
[Greek teleios, teleos, perfect, complete (from telos, end, result) + -LOGY.]
teleological tel'e·o·log'i·cal (-ə-lŏj'ĭ-kəl) or tel'e·o·log'ic (-ĭk) adj.teleologically tel'e·o·log'i·cal·ly adv.
teleologist tel'e·ol'o·gist n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
