Quixotism

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkwɪksəˌtɪzm/

Definitions

1. A characteristic of pursuing noble ideals and romantic dreams without regard for practicality, which can lead to unrealistic expectations and foolish actions
2. The tendency to embrace impractical and lofty aspirations that may be detached from reality, often resulting in fanciful behavior and decisions
3. The quality of holding idealistic and often impractical views that prioritize noble pursuits over realistic considerations can lead to whimsical choices

Etymology: The noun is built from "Quixote," the name of the hero of Miguel de Cervantes's Spanish novel "Don Quixote," with the suffix "-ism" added. The hero is a country gentleman who reads so many chivalric romances that he sets out as a knight-errant, tilting at windmills he takes for giants and believing an inn is a castle. Readers adopted his name as a shorthand for that kind of idealism carried past the point of good sense, and "-ism" turned the name into a term for the habit or quality itself. The suffix does the same work in many English words, turning a person's name or a label into a general trait, so "quixotism" names the disposition rather than the man. Its first sense is about attitude rather than action: a person can show quixotism in a plan, a gesture or a cause, not only in a single foolish episode. The word rests entirely on the novel's central figure, which is why its meaning stays tied to the knight's blend of nobility and impracticality.

Synonyms: idealism, romanticism, fantasy, impracticality, visionary

Antonyms: pragmatism, realism, common sense, materialism, conservatism