English Reference
Noun

idealist

n.
C1 Advanced US /aɪˈdiɫɪst/ UK /aɪdˈiəlɪst/ ide·al·ist UK spelling idealists Philosophy

n.a person who believes that people and society should be perfect and fair. They often focus on what is right rather than what is practical.

n.a person who holds an idealized view of human nature and society, often prioritizing moral or social perfection over practical considerations.


SIMPLE

The young idealist wanted to change the world.

CONTEXTUAL

As a political idealist, she spent her career working on international peace treaties rather than local elections.

COMPLEX

While the pragmatist focused on immediate economic gains, the idealist argued that long-term social justice was the only path to true national stability.


From French idéaliste, from Late Latin idealis (“ideal”), from Latin idea (“idea”), equivalent to ideal + -ist.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin idea
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated