Meaning of ideal
Pronunciation: (ī-dē'ul, ī-dēl'), [key]
- a conception of something in its perfection.
- a standard of perfection or excellence.
- 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.
- an ultimate object or aim of endeavor, esp. one of high or noble character: He refuses to compromise any of his ideals.
- something that exists only in the imagination: To achieve the ideal is almost hopeless.
- a subring of a ring, any element of which when multiplied by any element of the ring results in an element of the subring.
- conceived as constituting a standard of perfection or excellence: ideal beauty.
- regarded as perfect of its kind: an ideal spot for a home.
- existing only in the imagination; not real or actual: Nature is real; beauty is ideal.
- advantageous; excellent; best: It would be ideal if she could accompany us as she knows the way.
- based upon an ideal or ideals: the ideal theory of numbers.
- pertaining to a possible state of affairs considered as highly desirable.
- pertaining to or of the nature of idealism.
- ideal (Thesaurus)