I. (ˈ)ī|dē(ə)l, -diəl adjective
Etymology: French or Late Latin; French idéal, from Late Latin idealis, from Latin idea + -alis -al
1.
a. : existing as a mere mental image : existing in fancy or imagination only : imaginary , hypothetical
confusing ideal and concrete things
broadly : lacking practicality : visionary
a purely ideal concept of society
b. : relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions : ideational , conceptual
life and death appeared to me ideal bounds — Mary W. Shelley
c. : embodying or symbolizing an idea
2. : of or relating to an ideal or to perfection of kind : existing as a perfect exemplar : embodying or symbolizing an ideal
ideal beauty
an ideal moral character
3. : existing as a patterning or archetypal idea ; usually : of or relating to Platonic ideas
4. : of or relating to philosophical idealism
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: French or German; French idéal, from German ideal, from ideal- (as in idealform ideal form), from Late Latin idealis, adjective
1.
a. : a conception of something in its highest perfection
a perfect circle is an ideal impossible to construct
b. : a standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence believed to be capable of realization or attainment
the ideals of our civilization
2. : one regarded as exemplifying an ideal and often taken as a model for imitation
considered the older man his ideal
3. : an ultimate object or aim of endeavor : goal
their ideal was a quiet unhurried life
4. : a subset of a ring that contains as an element the sum or difference of any two elements and the product of any element with an element of the ring
the integers ending in 0 are an ideal in the ring of all integers
Synonyms: see model