ideal
UK[aɪˈdɪəl]US[aɪˈdɪəl]
adj
satisfying one's conception of what is perfect; most suitable
adj
existing only in the imagination; desirable or perfect but not likely to become a reality
n
a person or thing regarded as perfect
Morpheme Breakdown
ide
al
ide
form, idea
al
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'ideal' entered English in the late 16th century from Late Latin 'idealis', meaning "existing in idea." This Latin term was derived from the Greek 'idea', which fundamentally meant "form," "pattern," or "archetype," stemming from the verb 'idein', "to see." The core semantic journey is from the concrete act of seeing a visual form to the abstract concept of a mental pattern or perfect model. The suffix '-al' transforms this noun into an adjective, thus 'ideal' literally means "pertaining to or having the nature of a perfect form or model," capturing both its sense of a perfect standard and its existence in thought rather than reality.
Analysis
Structure: ide (form, idea) + al (adjective suffix)
ide from Greek 'idea' (form, pattern, notion) via Late Latin 'idea'. al from Latin '-alis' (adjective-forming suffix).
Examples
The weather was ideal for a picnic.
She found it hard to live up to his ideal of perfection.
In an ideal world, there would be no poverty.