Quixotical

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Characterized by impractical idealism, romantic pursuit of unattainable goals, or foolishly noble but unrealistic endeavors
2. Marked by an impractical and romantic inclination towards noble ideals, often leading to pursuits that are fanciful or unrealistic in nature
3. Defined by an overly ambitious and often unrealistic approach to life, marked by idealistic pursuits that disregard practicality and feasibility

Etymology: Miguel de Cervantes' Spanish novel is named for its hero, Alonso Quijano, who reads so many tales of chivalry that he renames himself Don Quixote and sets out to revive knight-errantry in a world with no use for it. He attacks windmills he takes for giants. The name carries a small joke: "quijote" is the Spanish word for the armoured plate that protects the thigh, so the hero takes his name from a piece of armour. English drew the adjective from the character's name. "Quixotic" came first, and "quixotical" adds the suffix "-al", a common English addition to adjectives of this kind. Both describe a noble but impractical idealism, the same quality Cervantes both mocks and admires in his hero.

Synonyms: idealistic, impractical, romantic, fanciful, visionary

Antonyms: practical, realistic, sensible, down-to-earth, rational