/ aɪˈdiːəl; NAmE / adjective , noun
■ adjective
1.
ideal (for sth) perfect; most suitable :
This beach is ideal for children.
She's the ideal candidate for the job.
The trip to Paris will be an ideal opportunity to practise my French.
2.
[ only before noun ] existing only in your imagination or as an idea; not likely to be real :
the search for ideal love
In an ideal world there would be no poverty and disease.
► ideal·ly / aɪˈdiːəli; NAmE / adverb :
She's ideally suited for this job.
Ideally, I'd like to live in New York, but that's not possible.
■ noun
1.
[ C ] an idea or standard that seems perfect, and worth trying to achieve or obtain :
political ideals
She found it hard to live up to his high ideals.
2.
[ C , usually sing. ] ~ (of sth) a person or thing that you think is perfect :
It's my ideal of what a family home should be.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (as a term in Platonic philosophy, in the sense existing as an archetype ): from late Latin idealis , via Latin from Greek idea form, pattern, from the base of idein to see.