ideal

Definition

Pertaining to ideas, or to a given idea.

Etymology

From French idéal, from Late Latin ideālis (“existing in idea”), by surface analysis, idea + -al, from Latin idea (“idea”); see idea. In mathematics, the noun ring theory sense was first introduced by German mathematician Richard Dedekind in his 1871 edition of a text on number theory. The concept was quickly expanded to ring theory and later generalised to order theory. The set theory and Lie theory senses can be regarded as applications of the order theory sense.

Example Sentences

• "The idea of ghosts is ridiculous in the extreme; and if you continue to be swayed by ideal terrors —"
• "Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world."
• "At first, he began to doubt the reality of his adventures, but the acute pain in his shoulders when he attempted to rise, assured him that the kicking of the goblins was certainly not ideal."

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