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ideal

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i⋅de⋅al

  [ahy-dee-uhl, ahy-deel]
Use ideal in a Sentence
–noun
1. a conception of something in its perfection.
2. a standard of perfection or excellence.
3. a person or thing conceived as embodying such a conception or conforming to such a standard, and taken as a model for imitation: Thomas Jefferson was his ideal.
4. an ultimate object or aim of endeavor, esp. one of high or noble character: He refuses to compromise any of his ideals.
5. something that exists only in the imagination: To achieve the ideal is almost hopeless.
6. Mathematics. a subring of a ring, any element of which when multiplied by any element of the ring results in an element of the subring.
–adjective
7. conceived as constituting a standard of perfection or excellence: ideal beauty.
8. regarded as perfect of its kind: an ideal spot for a home.
9. existing only in the imagination; not real or actual: Nature is real; beauty is ideal.
10. advantageous; excellent; best: It would be ideal if she could accompany us as she knows the way.
11. based upon an ideal or ideals: the ideal theory of numbers.
12. Philosophy.
a. pertaining to a possible state of affairs considered as highly desirable.
b. pertaining to or of the nature of idealism.
Origin:
1605–15; < LL ideālis. See idea, -al 1

Related forms:
i⋅de⋅al⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1, 2. epitome. Ideal, example, model refer to something considered as a standard to strive toward or something considered worthy of imitation. An ideal is a concept or standard of perfection, existing merely as an image in the mind, or based upon a person or upon conduct: We admire the high ideals of a religious person. Sir Philip Sidney was considered the ideal in gentlemanly conduct. An example is a person or the conduct or achievements of a person regarded as worthy of being followed or imitated in a general way; or sometimes, as properly to be avoided: an example of courage; a bad example to one's children. A model is primarily a physical shape to be closely copied, but is also a pattern for exact imitation in conduct or character: They took their leader as a model. 4. intention, objective. 7. perfect, consummate, complete. 9. illusory, imaginary, fanciful, fantastic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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i·de·al   (ī-dē'əl, ī-dēl')   
n.  

  1. A conception of something in its absolute perfection.

  2. One that is regarded as a standard or model of perfection or excellence.

  3. An ultimate object of endeavor; a goal.

  4. An honorable or worthy principle or aim.

adj.  

    1. Of, relating to, or embodying an ideal.

    2. Conforming to an ultimate form or standard of perfection or excellence.

    3. Existing only in the mind; imaginary.

    4. Lacking practicality or the possibility of realization.

    5. Existing as an archetype or pattern, especially as a Platonic idea or perception.

    6. Of or relating to idealism.

  2. Considered the best of its kind.

  3. Completely or highly satisfactory: The location of the new house is ideal.

    1. Existing only in the mind; imaginary.

    2. Lacking practicality or the possibility of realization.

    3. Existing as an archetype or pattern, especially as a Platonic idea or perception.

    4. Of or relating to idealism.

  5. Of, relating to, or consisting of ideas or mental images.

  6. Philosophy

    1. Existing as an archetype or pattern, especially as a Platonic idea or perception.

    2. Of or relating to idealism.


[From Middle English, pertaining to the divine archetypes of things, from Late Latin ideālis, from Latin idea, idea; see idea.]
Synonyms: These nouns refer to someone or something worthy of imitation or duplication. An ideal is a sometimes unattainable standard of perfection: "Religion is the vision of . . . something which is the ultimate ideal, and the hopeless quest" (Alfred North Whitehead).
An example can refer to something that is worthy of imitation but can also indicate something that serves as a deterrent or warning: "Our Government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example" (Louis D. Brandeis).
An exemplar, like a model, serves as an ideal example by reason of being either very worthy or truly representative of a type, admirable or otherwise: "He is indeed the perfect exemplar of all nobleness" (Jane Porter). "Our fellow countryman is a model of a man" (Charles Dickens).
A standard is an established criterion or recognized level of excellence: "It wouldn't be quite fair to test him by our standards" (William Dean Howells).
A pattern serves as a model, plan, or guide in the creation of something: "I will be the pattern of all patience" (Shakespeare).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

ideal 
1410, from L.L. idealis "existing in idea," from L. idea in the Platonic sense (see idea). Sense of "perfect" first recorded 1613. The noun meaning "perfect person or thing" is first recorded 1796 in a translation of Kant. The abstract idealism, also from 1796, originally meant "belief that reality is made up only of ideas." Idealist "one who represents things in an ideal form" is from 1829, as is idealistic. Ideally "in the best conceivable situation" is from 1840. Idée fixe (1836) is from Fr., lit. "fixed idea."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1ide·al
Pronunciation: I-'dE(-&)l, 'I-"
Function: adjective
1 : existing as an archetypal idea
2 a : existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only b : relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions

Main Entry: 2ideal
Function: noun
: a standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence ideals are …the essential manifestations of the superego —G. S. Blum> ideal and not the actual pattern of behavior —Weston La Barre>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

ideal i·de·al (ī-dē'əl, ī-dēl')
n.

  1. A conception of something in its absolute perfection.

  2. One that is regarded as a standard or model of perfection or excellence.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Computing Dictionary

IDEAL
1. Ideal DEductive Applicative Language. A language by Pier Bosco and Elio Giovannetti combining Miranda and Prolog. Function definitions can have a guard condition (introduced by ":-") which is a conjunction of equalities between arbitrary terms, including functions. These guards are solved by normal Prolog resolution and unification. It was originally compiled into C-Prolog but was eventually to be compiled to K-leaf.
2. A numerical constraint language written by Van Wyk of Stanford in 1980 for typesetting graphics in documents. It was inspired partly by Metafont and is distributed as part of Troff.
["A High-Level Language for Specifying Pictures", C.J. Van Wyk, ACM Trans Graphics 1(2):163-182 (Apr 1982)].
(1994-12-15)

ideal theory
In domain theory, a non-empty, downward closed subset which is also closed under binary least upper bounds. I.e. anything less than an element is also an element and the least upper bound of any two elements is also an element.
(1997-09-26)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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