English

idea

/aɪ̯ˈdɪə̯/
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.

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    Origin

    Borrowed from Latin idea (“a (Platonic) idea; archetype”), from Ancient Greek ἰδέα (idéa, “notion, pattern”), from εἴδω (eídō, “to see”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to know; see”). Cognate with French idée. Doublet of idée. Related to idol, idolum, and eidolon.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • borrowedLatinidea “idea”
      • derivedAncient Greekῐ̓δέᾱ “notion, pattern”
        • derivedAncient Greekῐ̓δεῖν
    • rootProto-Indo-European*weyd- “to know; to see”

    Related: English idol (doublet), English eidolon (doublet), English idée (doublet), English idolum (doublet), French idée

    Sources