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Glite Dictionary
teleologist

teleologist

9.9
A person who believes that nature has a purpose
  • noun
  • /ˌtɛliˈɒlədʒɪst/
translation icon : teleólogo
  • The debate between teleologists and materialists centers on whether life has inherent purpose.

Examples

  • A teleologist argues that the features of living organisms are designed for specific functions.

  • They think they're ardent anti teleologists and they're engineers.

  • As a teleologist, she believes that every aspect of nature is shaped for a meaningful end.

How Committed

zealot
  • Offensive
38 8.1
teleologist
9.9
advocate
282 4.1
sympathizer
37 4.8
doubter
19 4.2

Surface Forms

teleologist singular
teleologists plural

Morphology

teleologist = teleology (semi-transparent) = teleology + ist

The agentive suffix '-ist' is attached to the noun 'teleology' in a regular way, so if a learner knows 'teleology' the formation is clear.

Etymology

Teleologist comes from the Greek root telos, meaning 'end' or 'purpose', plus the ending -ist, meaning 'a person who believes'. So, a teleologist is someone who believes that nature and its events are directed toward a purpose or final 'end'.