Ideals

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /aɪˈdi.əlz/

Definitions

1. A collection of principles that shape actions and choices
2. Standards for excellence that people seek to reach in various aspects of life
3. Concepts or beliefs about what is most important or best to achieve

Etymology: "Ideals" is the plural of "ideal," and the singular carries a surprisingly literal history. It passed into English from French "idéal," which came from Late Latin "ideālis," meaning "existing in idea." Beneath that lies Latin "idea," the same root that gives us "idea" itself, so an ideal began as something that existed only in the mind rather than in the physical world. That mental origin explains why the word is so comfortable with abstraction today. Plural "ideals" simply names several of these mental standards at once, the things we hold up as models of what is most worthy of pursuit. The word moved from describing something imagined to describing the goals we imagine for ourselves.

Synonyms: principles, standards, values, goals, aspirations