One form of "arete" comes from the Latinarista "ear of grain" and means "the sharp edge of a mountain." It begins to appear around 1862 in English. Another form of "arete" comes from the Greek aretē (ἀϱετή) and means "that which is good" or "excellence." It is often translated as "virtue" when used by Aristotle, Plato, and others, who consider it to be that which is worthy of human striving. Links.NightCafe Image Source