Definition of ideal
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: of, relating to, or embodying an ideal
ideal beauty
b
: conforming exactly to an ideal, law, or standard : perfect
an ideal gas
— compare real sense 1c(4)
2a
: existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only
broadly
: lacking practicality
b
: relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions
3
: of or relating to philosophical idealism
4
: existing as an archetypal idea
ideal
nounDefinition of ideal (Entry 2 of 2)
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
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for ideal
The first known use of ideal was in the 15th century
See more words from the same century