teleology (n.) Look up teleology at Dictionary.com
"study of final causes," 1740, from Modern Latin teleologia, coined 1728 by German philosopher Baron Christian von Wolff (1679-1754) from Greek teleos "entire, perfect, complete," genitive of telos "end, goal, result" (see tele-), + -logia (see -logy). Related: Teleologist; teleological.