atelo-

prefix meaning "not, without," from Greek a-, an- "not" (the "alpha privative"), from PIE root *ne- "not" (source also of English un-).

In words from Greek, such as abysmal, adamant, amethyst; also partly nativized as a prefix of negation (asexual, amoral, agnostic). The ancient alpha privatum, denoting want or absence.

Greek also had an alpha copulativum, a- or ha-, expressing union or likeness, which is the a- expressing "together" in acolyte, acoustic, Adelphi, etc. It is from PIE root *sem- (1) "one; as one, together with."

"ultimate object or aim," 1904, from Greek telos "the end, limit, goal, fulfillment, completion," from PIE *kwel-es-, suffixed form of root *kwel- (1) "revolve, move round; sojourn, dwell," perhaps via the notion of "turning point (of a race-course, a field)."