telestic

te·les·tic
T1E1L1E1S1T1I1C3
/tɛˈlɛstɪk/

adjective

Of or pertaining to religious mysteries.

Scrabble 10

Meanings

adjectivetelestic (comparative more telestic, superlative most telestic)

comparative more telestic · superlative most telestic

  1. Of or pertaining to religious mysteries.

    He paused, and took a drink. ‘Do you remember last fall, in Julian’s class, when we studied what Plato calls telestic madness? Bakcheia? Dionysiac frenzy?’

    1992, Donna Tartt, The Secret History, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN
    1 more example

    Orithya was the daughter of Erectheus, and the prieſteſs of Boreas; for each of the winds has a preſiding deity, which the teleſtic art, or the art pertaining to ſacred myſteries, religiouſly cultivates.

    1804, Plato, “The Phædrus”, in Floyer Sydenham, Thomas Taylor, transl., The Works of Plato, viz. His Fifty-five Dialogues, and Twelve Epistles, Translated from the Greek; Nine of the Dialogues by the Late Floyer Sydenham, and the Remainder by Thomas Taylor: with Occasional Annotations on the Nine Dialogues Translated by Sydenham, and Copious Notes, by the Latter Translator; in which is Given the Substance of nearly all the Existing Greek Ms. Commentaries on the Philosophy of Plato, and a Considerable Portion of such as are already Published. In Five Volumes, volume I, London: Printed for Thomas Taylor, by R. Wilks, Chancery-Lane; and sold by E. Jeffery, and R. E. Evans, Pall-Mall, page 293, footnote 2
  2. Of or pertaining to a hierophant.
nountelestic (plural telestics)

plural telestics

  1. alternativeAlternative form of telestich.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekτελεστικός
  2. Englishtelestic

From Ancient Greek τελεστικός (telestikós), from τέλος (télos, “mystery religion”).

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

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Cite this entry
APA

telestic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/telestic

MLA

“telestic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/telestic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “telestic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/telestic.

Source: telestic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.