noun
gestalt
guh-SHTALT/ɡəˈʃtælt/
An organized whole understood through its overall pattern rather than its separate parts.
The pieces create a gestalt in which a white triangle seems to appear.
Etymology
German Gestalt means a form or configuration. In the psychological sense, that configuration is perceived as an organized whole with qualities beyond those of its separate parts.
In context
it's the sum of the the sum of the parts which creates a gestalt which is greater than the sum of the parts
More examples
- We recognize the melody's gestalt even when a few notes change.
- The logo's gestalt matters more than any single line.
- She studies the neighborhood's gestalt, not just its individual buildings.
Forms
gestalt · gestalts · gestalten
Similar words
- whole
- Names a complete entity without emphasizing its overall pattern.
- configuration
- Emphasizes the arrangement of parts rather than their unified effect.