What does wholeness mean?
Wholeness describes the condition of being complete, intact, and free from division. The word can apply to physical objects, but it is especially useful when referring to the unity of a person, a community, an artistic work, or a philosophical system. In psychological and spiritual contexts, “wholeness” often implies that the different parts of a person have been brought into a coherent relationship. In discussions of art, nature, or architecture, it may mean that nothing essential has been omitted or left disconnected. The word generally carries a positive connotation, suggesting balance, integrity, and harmony, although it can also describe an ideal or a quality that has been lost and must be recovered. Compared with “completeness,” wholeness places greater emphasis on unity and the relationship between parts; compared with “entirety,” it often has a more personal or philosophical resonance.
nounWholeness is the state or quality of being whole, complete, or undivided. It can also refer to the unity, integrity, or completeness of a person, thing, or system.
- The state or quality of being whole, complete, intact, or undivided.
- Unity, coherence, or integrity in a person, object, system, or larger whole.
"She found a sense of wholeness in combining her scientific work with her creative pursuits."
"The restoration of the building gave new life to its original architectural wholeness."
"Meditation helped him recover a sense of wholeness after years of feeling divided and distracted."
This plural is grammatically possible but uncommon; singular “wholeness” is normally preferred even when different kinds or degrees of wholeness are being compared.
"The study contrasts the wholenesses of the individual and the wider community."
In a world built to add features, wholeness reminds us that completeness can also mean subtraction.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wholeness come from?
Wholeness is a Middle English formation from whole plus the suffix -ness, entering use in the early modern period. Whole traces to Old English hāl, meaning “whole” or “intact,” and ultimately to Proto-Germanic. Holism and holistic are later cognates based on Greek holos, meaning “whole” or “entire.”
How wholeness is actually used
Wholeness is an abstract noun with formal and reflective associations. It is especially common in philosophical, spiritual, psychological, and artistic contexts, where it suggests an integrated or undivided state.
Easily confused with wholeness
Wholeness means being complete or unified, whereas wholesomeness means being healthy, beneficial, or morally sound.