Utopistic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Characterized by impractical and overly idealistic views of a perfect society
2. Displaying unrealistic hopefulness about creating an ideal world without flaws
3. Marked by visionary but impractical ideas about achieving a perfect social or political state

Etymology: "Utopia" was coined by Thomas More for his 1516 book describing an imaginary island society, and the name itself is a deliberate pun. It combines Greek "ou" (not) with "topos" (place), suggesting "no-place," while a near-homophone, "eu topos," means "good place." More built the word to hold both meanings at once: the ideal society he described existed nowhere. "Utopistic" is formed by adding the suffix "-istic" to "utopia," the same pattern that produces adjectives like "realistic" from "realism." The suffix describes a quality or tendency associated with the noun, so "utopistic" characterizes a person or view as shaped by the belief that a flawless ideal world is achievable. It is a straightforward derivation with no separate history of its own.

Synonyms: idealistic, visionary, quixotic, dreamy, romantic

Antonyms: pragmatic, realistic, cynical, down-to-earth, practical