IDEALISTIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does idealistic mean? 

• IDEALISTIC (adjective)
  The adjective IDEALISTIC has 2 senses:

1. of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of the reality of ideas

2. of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

  Familiarity information: IDEALISTIC used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IDEALISTIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of the reality of ideas

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

ideal; idealistic

Pertainym:

idealism ((philosophy) the philosophical theory that ideas are the only reality)

Derivation:

idealism ((philosophy) the philosophical theory that ideas are the only reality)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

Synonyms:

elevated; exalted; grand; high-flown; high-minded; idealistic; lofty; noble-minded; rarefied; rarified; sublime

Context example:

a grand purpose

Similar:

noble (having or showing or indicative of high or elevated character)

Derivation:

idealism (elevated ideals or conduct; the quality of believing that ideals should be pursued)

 Context examples 

As usual, his was the sheer materialistic side, and Maud’s was the idealistic.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Pity, too, was aroused, and innocent, idealistic thoughts of reform.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

In spite of their Unitarian proclivities and their masks of conservative broadmindedness, they were two generations behind interpretative science: their mental processes were mediaeval, while their thinking on the ultimate data of existence and of the universe struck him as the same metaphysical method that was as young as the youngest race, as old as the cave-man, and older—the same that moved the first Pleistocene ape-man to fear the dark; that moved the first hasty Hebrew savage to incarnate Eve from Adam's rib; that moved Descartes to build an idealistic system of the universe out of the projections of his own puny ego; and that moved the famous British ecclesiastic to denounce evolution in satire so scathing as to win immediate applause and leave his name a notorious scrawl on the page of history.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)