idealism
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
idealism
- /ʌɪˈdɪəlɪz(ə)m/
- /ʌɪˈdiːəlɪz(ə)m/
Where it comes from
First attested 1796, from ideal + -ism.
noun idealisms
- The property of a person of having high ideals that are usually unrealizable or at odds with practical life.
- The practice or habit of giving or attributing ideal form or character to things; treatment of things in art or literature according to ideal standards or patterns;—opposed to realism.
-
An approach to philosophical enquiry, which asserts that direct and immediate knowledge can only be had of ideas or mental pictures.
Similar: philosophical idealism · Opposite: materialism
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: high-mindedness, noble-mindedness, idealist, vision, ideal, perfectionism, quixotism, optimism, utopianism, romanticism, idealization, loftiness, purism, impracticality, ideality, transcendentalism
Translations
Every language
noun property of a person of having high ideals that are usually unrealizable
| Español | idealismo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 이상주의 isangjuui |
| 日本語 | 理想主義 risō shugi |
| 中文 | 理想主义 lǐxiǎngzhǔyì |
| Français | idéalisme |
| Deutsch | Idealismus |
| Italiano | idealismo |
| Ελληνικά | ιδεαλισμός idealismós |
| Română | idealism |
| Русский | идеали́зм idealízm |
noun practice of giving ideal character
| हिन्दी | आदर्शवाद ādarśavād |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Idealisierung |
noun an approach to philosophical enquiry
| Español | idealismo |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 観念論 kannenron, イデアリスム idearizumu |
| 中文 | 唯心主義 /唯心主义 wéixīnzhǔyì |
| हिन्दी | प्रत्ययवाद pratyayvād, विज्ञानवाद vijñānvād, आदर्शवाद ādarśavād, भाववाद bhāvvād |
| Português | idealismo |
| Français | idéalisme |
| Deutsch | Idealismus |
| Italiano | idealismo |
| Ελληνικά | ιδεαλισμός idealismós |
| Română | idealism |
| Русский | идеали́зм idealízm |
| العربية | مِثَالِيَّة miṯāliyya |
Talk about this word "idealism." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/idealism. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. idealism. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/idealism "idealism." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/idealism.Cite this
@misc{idealism_2026,
title = {idealism},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/idealism},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
