'aretes' (as the plural of 'arête') originates from French, specifically the word 'arête' meaning 'fishbone' or 'ridge', ultimately from Vulgar Latin or Old French usage for a ridge-like shape. 'aretes' (as plural of the Greek-derived 'arete') ultimately comes from Classical Greek 'ἀρετή' (aretḗ), meaning 'excellence' or 'virtue'.

'arête' (ridge) entered English from French in the 19th century to name sharp mountain ridges; the French 'arête' itself reflected a sense of a 'spine' or 'bone-like' ridge. Separately, English borrowed 'arete' from Classical Greek 'ἀρετή' (through scholarly/Latin usage) to denote virtue and excellence; its plural in English has been formed as 'aretes' in some contexts.

For the ridge sense, the original sense of a 'bone-like ridge' remained close to the modern meaning of a narrow mountain crest. For the Greek-derived sense, the original meaning 'excellence; virtue' has been retained in modern usage but is now mainly used in academic, literary, or historical contexts.