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): /aɪ̯ˈdɪə̯/ (Southern England, triggers Intrusive R) IPA(key): [ɑjˈdɪː(‿ɹ)] (General American) IPA(key): /aɪ̯ˈdi.ə/ (US, Appalachia, r-epenthesis) IPA(key): /aːˈdɪɹ/ (New Zealand) IPA(key): /aɪ̯ˈdiə̯/, [ɑeˈdiə], [-ˈdeə] (Southern US, obsolete) IPA(key): /aɪˈdiː/, /ˈaɪdi/ (Indic) IPA(key): /ˈaɪɖɪa/ Hyphenation: i‧dea, i‧de‧a Rhymes: -ɪə, -iːə === Noun === idea (plural ideas or (philosophy, 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.] (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.] An image of an object that is formed in the mind or recalled by the memory. [from 16th c.] More generally, any result of mental activity; a thought, a notion; a way of thinking. [from 17th c.] A conception in the mind of something to be done; a plan for doing something, an intention. [from 17th c.] A purposeful aim or goal; intent A vague or fanciful notion; a feeling or hunch; an impression. [from 17th c.] (music) A musical theme or melodic subject. [from 18th c.] ==== Synonyms ==== (mental transcript, image, or picture): image ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Collocations ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Burmese: အိုင်ဒီယာ (uingdiya) → Japanese: アイディア (aidia), アイデア (aidea) → Korean: 아이디어 (aidieo) → Thai: ไอเดีย (ai-diia) ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === “idea”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “idea”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “idea”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. “idea”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. “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 (dialectal, proscribed) === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Central) [iˈðe.ə] IPA(key): (Balearic) [iˈðɛ.ə] IPA(key): (Valencia) [iˈðe.a] === Noun === idea f (plural idees) An idea, a mental representation of a real or imaginary thing La idea de justícia. ― The idea of justice. An elementary or general notion of something No en tenia la més petita idea. ― I/She/He didn't have the slightest idea. A concept to be realized, plan of action, purpose, intention M’agrada, la idea'! ― I like the idea! The fundamental, substantial part of a doctrine, a reasoning, etc La idea cristiana. ― The Christian idea. ==== Usage notes ==== Often pronounced as ideia. ==== Related terms ==== ideal idear ideari === Further reading === “idea”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 “idea”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 “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] === Noun === idea f idea (that which exists in the mind as the result of mental activity) ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “idea”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957 “idea”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989 “idea”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026 == Finnish == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈideɑ/, [ˈide̞ɑ̝] Rhymes: -ideɑ Syllabification(key): i‧de‧a Hyphenation(key): idea === Noun === idea idea Synonyms: ajatus, oivallus ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “idea”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023 == Galician == === Alternative forms === ideia (reintegrationist) === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “I see”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /iˈdɛa/ [iˈð̞ɛ.ɐ] Rhymes: -ɛa Hyphenation: i‧de‧a === Noun === idea f (plural ideas) idea ==== Related terms ==== ideal === Further reading === “idea”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026 == Hungarian == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈidɛɒ] Hyphenation: idea Rhymes: -ɒ === Noun === idea (plural ideák) (philosophy or formal) idea Synonyms: eszme, ötlet, gondolat ==== Declension ==== === References === === Further reading === idea in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), 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- === Etymology 2 === ==== 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 Latin) IPA(key): [ˈɪ.de.a] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈiː.de.a] === Noun === idea f (genitive ideae); first declension idea prototype (Platonic) ==== Declension ==== First-declension noun. ==== Descendants ==== === References === “idea”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press "idea", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, 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”). === Pronunciation === (schwa-variety) IPA(key): /ˈajdjə/ [ˈai̯.djə] (English-based) Rhymes: -ai̯djə, -ə (Baku) IPA(key): /iˈdea/ [iˈde.a] Hyphenation: i‧dea === Noun === idéa (Jawi spelling ايديا, plural idea-idea or idea2) idea ==== Alternative forms ==== ide (Indonesia, Timor-Leste) == Maltese == === Alternative forms === ideja, idija === Etymology === Borrowed from Italian idea. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɪˈdɛː.a/, /ɪˈdɛː.ja/ Homophone: idejha (one pronunciation) Rhymes: -ɛːa, -ɛːja === Noun === idea f (plural ideat) idea; thought; opinion ==== Related terms ==== == Northern Sami == === Etymology === (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) === Pronunciation === (Kautokeino) IPA(key): /ˈitea̯/ === Noun === idea idea ==== Inflection ==== This noun needs an inflection-table template. ==== Further reading ==== Eino Koponen, Klaas Ruppel, Kirsti Aapala, editors (2002–2008), Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages‎[2], Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland == Polish == === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Latin idea. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /iˈdɛ.a/ 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 ==== ==== Derived terms ==== === 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 conjugation to invent, to conceive ==== Conjugation ==== == 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): [ˈidea] === 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 ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “idea”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026 == 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. ==== Alternative forms ==== idéa (superseded) ==== Noun ==== idea f (plural ideas) idea ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== === 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 [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 == Tagalog == === Alternative forms === ideya === Etymology === Borrowed from Spanish idea, from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”). === Pronunciation === (Standard Tagalog) IPA(key): /ʔideˈa/ [ʔɪ.d̪ɛˈa], /ʔiˈdea/ [ʔɪˈd̪ɛː.ɐ] Rhymes: -a, -ea Syllabification: i‧de‧a === Noun === ideá or idea (Baybayin spelling ᜁᜇᜒᜌ) idea; opinion Synonyms: palagay, opinyon, kuro-kuro plan; intention Synonyms: balak, layon, hangad ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “idea”, in KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2025 “idea”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018