English Reference

Word

idyllic

Phoneticsidyl·lic

US/aɪˈdɪɫɪk/

UK/aɪdˈɪlɪk/

Definition

adj. extremely peaceful, beautiful, and happy. You use this to describe a place or a time that feels perfect, like a dream.

adj. extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque. Often used to describe rural or pastoral settings that seem perfect and unspoiled.

Examples

“The family spent an idyllic summer at the lake.”

“They moved to a small village in the mountains to enjoy an idyllic life away from the city.”

“The documentary captures the idyllic landscape of the valley before the industrial expansion of the late nineteenth century forever altered the local ecosystem.”

Examples

simple

“The family spent an idyllic summer at the lake.”

contextual

“They moved to a small village in the mountains to enjoy an idyllic life away from the city.”

complex

“The documentary captures the idyllic landscape of the valley before the industrial expansion of the late nineteenth century forever altered the local ecosystem.”

Usage

Typically used to describe places, periods of time, or childhood memories.

Real-World Examples

“Three Men in a Boat has come to represent an idyllic, witty lost England.”
The Guardian · 24 Sept 2026
“To Louise, Coll’s home town seems idyllic, the kind of place where neighbours are as good as family.”
The Guardian · 18 Aug 2026

Etymology

From idyll + -ic.

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

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/idyllic

English Reference