ideal
pronunciation
How to pronounce ideal in British English:
UK [aɪˈdiːəl]
How to pronounce ideal in American English:
US [aɪˈdiːəl]
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- Noun:
- the idea of something that is perfect; something that one hopes to attain
- model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
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- Adjective:
- conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
- constituting or existing only in the form of an idea or mental image or conception
- of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of the reality of ideas
Word Origin
- ideal (adj.)
- early 15c., "pertaining to an archetype or model," from Late Latin idealis "existing in idea," from Latin idea in the Platonic sense (see idea). Sense of "perfect" first recorded 1610s.
- ideal (n.)
- "perfect person or thing," 1796, in a translation of Kant, from ideal (adj.).
Example
- 1. That could be an ideal outcome .
- 2. In theory , this is the ideal place to start .
- 3. Plump and bouncing babies are not necessarily the ideal .
- 4. His ideas were elitist , with the philosopher king the ideal ruler .
- 5. In practice that may be a hard ideal to enforce .