ideal
2ideal
nounDefinition of IDEAL
1
: a standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence
2
: one regarded as exemplifying an ideal and often taken as a model for imitation
3
: an ultimate object or aim of endeavor : goal
4
: a subset of a mathematical ring that is closed under addition and subtraction and contains the products of any given element of the subset with each element of the ring
— ide·al·less \ī-ˈdē(-ə)l-ləs\ adjective
See Examples of IDEAL
- an ideal of romantic love
- He hasn't lived up to his high ideals.
- She considers the actress her ideal.
First Known Use of IDEAL
15th century
Related to IDEAL
Synonyms: beau ideal, classic, eidolon, exemplar, idea, model, nonesuch, nonpareil, paragon, patron saint
Related Words: role model; embodiment, epitome, incarnation, manifestation, personification, phantom, pink; archetype, example, mirror, paradigm, pattern; guideline, principle, rule; gauge (also gage), standard, touchstone; essence, quintessence; acme, apex, apotheosis, culmination, peak, pinnacle, summit, zenith
See Synonym Discussion at model
Rhymes with IDEAL
aiguille, all-wheel, anneal, appeal, big deal, big wheel, bilge keel, bonemeal, bonspiel, cam wheel, Castile, cartwheel, chainwheel, chenille, cogwheel, conceal, congeal, cornmeal, done deal, eared seal, enwheel, fifth wheel, fish meal, flywheel, forefeel, for real, four-wheel, freewheel, fur seal, genteel, get real, good deal, great seal, handwheel, harp seal, inchmeal, mild steel, mill wheel, misdeal, mobile, Mobile, monk seal, mouthfeel, New Deal, newsreel, nosewheel, oatmeal, O'Neal, pastille, piecemeal, pinwheel, prayer wheel, raw deal, repeal, reveal, schlemiel, self-heal, side-wheel, singspiel, somedeal, spike heel, stabile, tahsil, Tar Heel, thumbwheel, unreel, unseal, worm wheel
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