- (n.) the doctrine of design, which assumes that the phenomena of organic life, particularly those of evolution, are explicable only by purposive causes, and that they in no way admit of a mechanical explanation or one based entirely on biological science; the doctrine of adaptation to purpose.
- (n.) The doctrine of the final causes of things.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). teleology. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/teleology/definitions/2070915 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "teleology" http://smartdefine.org/teleology/definitions/2070915 (accessed September 26, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, teleology, Smart Define, viewed 26 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/teleology/definitions/2070915>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "teleology" 28 May 2011. Web. 26 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/teleology/definitions/2070915> |