idea
See also: ideá, -idea, and idea-
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea (“a (Platonic) idea; archetype”), from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “I see”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to know; see”). Cognate with French idée. Doublet of idée. Related to idol, idolum, and eidolon.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /aɪˈdɪə/
- (General American) IPA(key): /aɪˈdi.ə/
- (US, intrusive r) IPA(key): /aɪˈdɪɹ/
Audio (US) (file) - (New Zealand) IPA(key): /ɑeˈdiə̯/
- Rhymes: -ɪə, -iːə
- (Southern American English, obsolete) IPA(key): /aɪˈdiː/, /ˈaɪdi/[1]
- Hyphenation: i‧dea, i‧de‧a
Noun
idea (plural ideas or (rare) ideæ)
- (philosophy) An abstract archetype of a given thing, compared to which real-life examples are seen as imperfect approximations; pure essence, as opposed to actual examples. [from 14th c.]
- 2013 October 19, “Trouble at the lab”, in The Economist, volume 409, number 8858:
- The idea that the same experiments always get the same results, no matter who performs them, is one of the cornerstones of science’s claim to objective truth. If a systematic campaign of replication does not lead to the same results, then either the original research is flawed (as the replicators claim) or the replications are (as many of the original researchers on priming contend). Either way, something is awry.
-
- (obsolete) The conception of someone or something as representing a perfect example; an ideal. [16th–19th c.]
- (obsolete) The form or shape of something; a quintessential aspect or characteristic. [16th–18th c.]
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 6, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:
- The remembrance whereof (which yet I beare deepely imprinted in my minde) representing me her visage and Idea so lively and so naturally, doth in some sort reconcile me unto her.
-
- An image of an object that is formed in the mind or recalled by the memory. [from 16th c.]
- The mere idea of you is enough to excite me.
- More generally, any result of mental activity; a thought, a notion; a way of thinking. [from 17th c.]
- 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter III, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., OCLC 222716698:
- Now all this was very fine, but not at all in keeping with the Celebrity's character as I had come to conceive it. The idea that adulation ever cloyed on him was ludicrous in itself. In fact I thought the whole story fishy, and came very near to saying so.
- 1952, Alfred Whitney Griswold
- Ideas won't go to jail.
-
- A conception in the mind of something to be done; a plan for doing something, an intention. [from 17th c.]
- I have an idea of how we might escape.
- A purposeful aim or goal; intent
- Yeah, that's the idea.
- 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 3, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
- My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.
- 2013 June 1, “End of the peer show”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 71:
- Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. Those that want to borrow are matched with those that want to lend.
- A vague or fanciful notion; a feeling or hunch; an impression. [from 17th c.]
- He had the wild idea that if he leant forward a little, he might be able to touch the mountain-top.
- (music) A musical theme or melodic subject. [from 18th c.]
Synonyms
- (mental transcript, image, or picture): image
Derived terms
terms derived from idea
- idea'd
- idea man
- it seemed like a good idea at the time
- idea monger
- idea of reference
- idea pot
- life-idea
- memory-idea
- mother-idea
- no idea
- one-idea
- received idea
- sense-idea
- simple idea
- the very idea
- war of ideas
Related terms
- ideal
- idealism
- idealist
- ideality
- idealize
- ideate
- ideatum
- ideologue
- ideology
- in idea
Collocations
Collocations
- good idea
- bad idea
- better idea
- great idea
- new idea
- slightest idea
- least idea
- basic idea
- general idea
- whole idea
- fixed idea
- mistaken idea
- leading idea
- guiding idea
- confused idea
- following idea
- controlling idea
- prevailing idea
- ruling idea
- accepted idea
- clear idea
- original idea
Descendants
- → Japanese: アイディア (aidia), アイデア (aidea)
Translations
philosophy: abstract archetype of a given thing, compared to which real-life examples are seen as imperfect
|
(obsolete in English) the conception of someone or something as representing an ideal
|
(obsolete in English) the form or shape of something; a quintessential aspect or characteristic
|
an image of an object that is formed in the mind or recalled by the memory
|
any result of mental activity; a thought, a notion; a way of thinking
|
a conception in the mind of something to be done; a plan for doing something, an intention
|
a vague or fanciful notion; a feeling or hunch; an impression
|
a musical theme or melodic subject
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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References
- Stanley, Oma (1937), “II. Vowel Sounds in Unstressed and Partially Stressed Syllables”, in The Speech of East Texas (American Speech: Reprints and Monographs; 2), New York: Columbia University Press, DOI:, →ISBN, § I.4, page 40.
Further reading
- idea in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- idea in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
- idea at OneLook Dictionary Search
- “idea”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
- “idea”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
- “idea”, in Collins English Dictionary.
Anagrams
- Adie, aide, daie
Asturian
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “I see”).
Noun
idea f (plural idees)
- idea
Related terms
- ideal
Catalan
Alternative forms
- ideia
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek.
Pronunciation
- (Balearic, Central) IPA(key): /iˈdɛ.ə/
- (Valencian) IPA(key): /iˈdɛ.a/
Audio (file)
Noun
idea f (plural idees)
- idea (clarification of this definition is needed)
Usage notes
Often pronounced as ideia.
Related terms
- ideal
- idear
Further reading
- “idea” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “idea”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
- “idea” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “idea” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Chinese
Etymology
From English idea.
Pronunciation
Noun
idea
- (Hong Kong Cantonese) idea; plan
References
- English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese
Czech
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa), from εἴδω (eídō).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈɪdɛa]
Audio (file)
Noun
idea f
- idea (that which exists in the mind as the result of mental activity)
Related terms
- ideace
- idealizace
- idealizovaný
- idealizovat
- ideolog
- ideologický
- ideologie
- ideový
- ideál
- idealista
- idealismus
- ideozločin
Further reading
- idea in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
- idea in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989
- idea in Internetová jazyková příručka
Finnish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈideɑ/, [ˈide̞ɑ]
- Rhymes: -ideɑ
- Syllabification(key): i‧de‧a
Noun
idea
- idea
Declension
| Inflection of idea (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | idea | ideat | |
| genitive | idean | ideoiden ideoitten | |
| partitive | ideaa | ideoita | |
| illative | ideaan | ideoihin | |
| singular | plural | ||
| nominative | idea | ideat | |
| accusative | nom. | idea | ideat |
| gen. | idean | ||
| genitive | idean | ideoiden ideoitten ideainrare | |
| partitive | ideaa | ideoita | |
| inessive | ideassa | ideoissa | |
| elative | ideasta | ideoista | |
| illative | ideaan | ideoihin | |
| adessive | idealla | ideoilla | |
| ablative | idealta | ideoilta | |
| allative | idealle | ideoille | |
| essive | ideana | ideoina | |
| translative | ideaksi | ideoiksi | |
| instructive | — | ideoin | |
| abessive | ideatta | ideoitta | |
| comitative | — | ideoineen | |
| Possessive forms of idea (type kulkija) | ||
|---|---|---|
| possessor | singular | plural |
| 1st person | ideani | ideamme |
| 2nd person | ideasi | ideanne |
| 3rd person | ideansa | |
Synonyms
- ajatus
Galician
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “I see”).
Noun
idea f (plural ideas)
- idea
Related terms
- ideal
Hungarian
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”). [1]
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈidɛɒ]
- Hyphenation: idea
- Rhymes: -ɒ
Noun
idea (plural ideák)
- (philosophy or formal) idea
- Synonyms: eszme, ötlet, gondolat
Declension
| Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony) | ||
|---|---|---|
| singular | plural | |
| nominative | idea | ideák |
| accusative | ideát | ideákat |
| dative | ideának | ideáknak |
| instrumental | ideával | ideákkal |
| causal-final | ideáért | ideákért |
| translative | ideává | ideákká |
| terminative | ideáig | ideákig |
| essive-formal | ideaként | ideákként |
| essive-modal | — | — |
| inessive | ideában | ideákban |
| superessive | ideán | ideákon |
| adessive | ideánál | ideáknál |
| illative | ideába | ideákba |
| sublative | ideára | ideákra |
| allative | ideához | ideákhoz |
| elative | ideából | ideákból |
| delative | ideáról | ideákról |
| ablative | ideától | ideáktól |
| non-attributive possessive - singular | ideáé | ideáké |
| non-attributive possessive - plural | ideáéi | ideákéi |
| Possessive forms of idea | ||
|---|---|---|
| possessor | single possession | multiple possessions |
| 1st person sing. | ideám | ideáim |
| 2nd person sing. | ideád | ideáid |
| 3rd person sing. | ideája | ideái |
| 1st person plural | ideánk | ideáink |
| 2nd person plural | ideátok | ideáitok |
| 3rd person plural | ideájuk | ideáik |
References
- Tótfalusi, István. Idegenszó-tár: Idegen szavak értelmező és etimológiai szótára (’A Storehouse of Foreign Words: an explanatory and etymological dictionary of foreign words’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2005. →ISBN
Further reading
- idea in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
Interlingua
Noun
idea (plural ideas)
- idea
Italian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /iˈdɛ.a/
- Rhymes: -ɛa
- Hyphenation: i‧dè‧a
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “I see”).
Noun
idea f (plural idee)
- idea
- buon'idea ― good idea
Related terms
- ideale
- ideare
- ideazione
- ideo-
Verb
idea
- inflection of ideare:
- third-person singular present indicative
- second-person singular imperative
Further reading
- idea in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
Anagrams
- aedi
Latin
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈi.de.a/, [ˈɪd̪eä]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈi.de.a/, [ˈiːd̪eä]
Noun
idea f (genitive ideae); first declension
- idea
- 1719, Johann Jakob Brucker:
- Tentamen Introductionis in Historiam Doctrinae Logicae de Ideis
- An Essay Introducing the History of the Logical Doctrine of Ideas
- Tentamen Introductionis in Historiam Doctrinae Logicae de Ideis
- 1719, Johann Jakob Brucker:
- prototype (Platonic)
Declension
First-declension noun.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | idea | ideae |
| Genitive | ideae | ideārum |
| Dative | ideae | ideīs |
| Accusative | ideam | ideās |
| Ablative | ideā | ideīs |
| Vocative | idea | ideae |
Descendants
- Asturian: idea
- Catalan: idea
- English: idea
- Danish: idé
- Dutch: idee
- French: idée
- → English: idée
- → German: Idee
- → Norwegian Bokmål: idé
- → Norwegian Nynorsk: idé
- → Swedish: idé
- → Turkish: ide
- Friulian: idee
- Galician: idea
- → Hungarian: idea
- Irish: idé
- Italian: idea
- Piedmontese: idea
- Polish: idea
- Portuguese: ideia
- Romanian: idee
- Spanish: idea
References
- “idea”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- idea in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
Malay
Etymology
Borrowed from English idea, from Latin idea (“a (Platonic) idea; archetype”), from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “I see”).
Noun
idea (Jawi spelling ايديا, plural idea-idea, informal 1st possessive ideaku, 2nd possessive ideamu, 3rd possessive ideanya)
- idea
Alternative forms
- ide (Indonesia, Timor-Leste)
Maltese
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian idea, from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɪˈdɛː.a/, /ɪˈdɛː.ja/
- Homophone: idejha (one pronunciation)
Noun
idea f (plural ideat)
- idea
Northern Sami
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Noun
idea
- idea
Inflection
This noun needs an inflection-table template.
Further reading
- Koponen, Eino; Ruppel, Klaas; Aapala, Kirsti, editors (2002–2008) Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages, Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland
Polish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa), from εἴδω (eídō).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /iˈdɛ.a/
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -ɛa
- Syllabification: i‧de‧a
Noun
idea f (diminutive idejka)
- idea (image of an object that is formed in the mind or recalled by the memory)
- Synonym: pomysł
- (philosophy) idea (abstract archetype of a given thing, compared to which real-life examples are seen as imperfect)
- keynote, mission statement
Declension
Declension of idea
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | idea | idee |
| genitive | idei | idei |
| dative | idei | ideom |
| accusative | ideę | idee |
| instrumental | ideą | ideami |
| locative | idei | ideach |
| vocative | ideo | idee |
Derived terms
adjectives
- bezideowy
- ideowy
adverbs
- bezideowo
- ideowo
nouns
- bezideowiec
- bezideowość
- ideowiec
- ideowość
Further reading
- idea in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- idea in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian ideare.
Verb
a idea (third-person singular present ideează, past participle ideat) 1st conj.
- to invent, to conceive
Conjugation
conjugation of idea (first conjugation, -ez- infix)
| infinitive | a idea | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| gerund | ideând | ||||||
| past participle | ideat | ||||||
| number | singular | plural | |||||
| person | 1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | 1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | |
| indicative | eu | tu | el/ea | noi | voi | ei/ele | |
| present | ideez | ideezi | ideează | ideăm | ideați | ideează | |
| imperfect | ideam | ideai | idea | ideam | ideați | ideau | |
| simple perfect | ideai | ideași | ideă | idearăm | idearăți | ideară | |
| pluperfect | ideasem | ideaseși | idease | ideaserăm | ideaserăți | ideaseră | |
| subjunctive | eu | tu | el/ea | noi | voi | ei/ele | |
| present | să ideez | să ideezi | să ideeze | să ideăm | să ideați | să ideeze | |
| imperative | — | tu | — | — | voi | — | |
| affirmative | ideează | ideați | |||||
| negative | nu idea | nu ideați | |||||
Slovak
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin idea (“a (Platonic) idea; archetype”), from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “I see”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈidɛa/
Noun
idea f (genitive singular idey, nominative plural idey, genitive plural ideí, declension pattern of idea)
- idea (that which exists in the mind as the result of mental activity)
Declension
Declension of idea
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | idea | idey |
| genitive | idey | ideí |
| dative | idei | ideám |
| accusative | ideu | idey |
| locative | idei | ideách |
| instrumental | ideou | ideami |
Related terms
- ideológ m
- ideologický m
- ideológia f
- ideový m
- ideál m
- idealista m
- idealistický m
- idealizácia f
- idealizmus m
Further reading
- idea in Slovak dictionaries at slovnik.juls.savba.sk
Spanish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /iˈdea/ [iˈð̞e.a]
- Rhymes: -ea
- Syllabification: i‧de‧a
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “to see”). Compare Portuguese ideia.
Noun
idea f (plural ideas)
- idea
Derived terms
- asociación de ideas
- cambiar de idea
- hacerse una idea
- idea fija
- lluvia de ideas
- mala idea
- ni idea
- no tener ni idea
- remota idea
Related terms
- ideal
- idear
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
idea
- inflection of idear:
- third-person singular present indicative
- second-person singular imperative
Further reading
- “idea”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
Tagalog
Alternative forms
- ideya
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish idea.
Pronunciation
- Hyphenation: i‧de‧a
- IPA(key): /ʔideˈja/, [ʔɪ.deˈja]
- IPA(key): /ʔiˈdeja/, [ʔɪˈde.jɐ]
Noun
ideá or idea
- idea; opinion
- Synonyms: palagay, opinyon, kuro-kuro
- plan; intention
- Synonyms: balak, layon, hangad
Derived terms
- magkaidea
- maidea
Related terms
- ideal
- idealismo
- idealista