idea

[ ahy-dee-uh, ahy-deeuh ]

noun

1. any conception existing in the mind as a result of mental understanding, awareness, or activity.
2. a thought, conception, or notion:

   That is an excellent idea.

3. an impression:

   He gave me a general idea of how he plans to run the department.

4. an opinion, view, or belief:

   His ideas on raising children are certainly strange.

   Synonyms: judgment, sentiment

5. a plan of action; an intention:

   the idea of becoming an engineer.

6. a groundless supposition; fantasy.
7. Philosophy.
   1. a concept developed by the mind.
   2. a conception of what is desirable or ought to be; ideal.
   3. (initial capital letter) Platonism. Also called form. an archetype or pattern of which the individual objects in any natural class are imperfect copies and from which they derive their being.
   4. Kantianism. idea of pure reason.
8. Music. a theme, phrase, or figure.
9. Obsolete.
   1. a likeness.
   2. a mental image.

Idea

¹

/ aɪˈdɪə /

noun

1. another name for Form

idea

²

/ aɪˈdɪə /

noun

1. any content of the mind, esp the conscious mind
2. the thought of something

   the very idea appals me

3. a mental representation of something

   she's got a good idea of the layout of the factory

4. the characterization of something in general terms; concept

   the idea of a square circle is self-contradictory

5. an individual's conception of something

   his idea of honesty is not the same as yours and mine

6. the belief that something is the case

   he has the idea that what he's doing is right

7. a scheme, intention, plan, etc

   here's my idea for the sales campaign

8. a vague notion or indication; inkling

   he had no idea of what life would be like in Africa

9. significance or purpose

   the idea of the game is to discover the murderer

10. philosophy
    1. a private mental object, regarded as the immediate object of thought or perception
    2. a Platonic Idea or Form
11. music a thematic phrase or figure; motif
12. obsolete.
    a mental image
13. get ideas
    to become ambitious, restless, etc
14. not one's idea of
    not what one regards as (hard work, a holiday, etc)
15. that's an idea
    that is worth considering
16. the very idea!
    that is preposterous, unreasonable, etc

Usage

It is usually considered correct to say that someone has the idea of doing something, rather than the idea to do it: he had the idea of taking (not the idea to take ) a short holiday

Derived Forms

• iˈdealess, adjective

Other Words From

• i·dea·less adjective
• prei·dea noun
• subi·dea noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of idea¹

First recorded in 1400–50; from Late Latin from Greek idéā “form, pattern,” equivalent to ide- (stem of ideîn “to see”) + -ā feminine noun ending; replacing late Middle English idee from Middle French from Late Latin, as above; akin to wit ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of idea¹

C16: via Late Latin from Greek: model, pattern, notion, from idein to see

Idioms and Phrases

see bright idea ; put ideas in someone's head ; what's the idea .

Example Sentences

He called the proposed commission a “bad idea.”

From Los Angeles Times

People seem very upset about the idea that the government is spending money spraying bobcat pee on rats, but here’s the thing: There are many rodent studies that waft bobcat pee, cat hair, fox odor, and more at mice.

From Slate

The way Musk and Ramaswamy have been talking, they clearly have the idea that they’ll be cleaning house from Day 1 onward—just like Musk did when he bought Twitter in late 2022, brought his friends and cronies on as consultants for cost cuts, ousted the company’s executives, and went on to lay off thousands more staffers.

From Slate

So opening night arrives and we literally walk onstage, no idea if it’s going to work.

From Los Angeles Times

The combination of visuals and the audio and the haptics of the seats — all of those things were brought to bear to try and basically turn on its head the whole idea of suspension of disbelief, so that you’re having to remind yourself that it’s not real, as opposed to pretending that it is.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• belief
• concept
• conception
• conclusion
• design
• feeling
• form
• intention
• interpretation
• meaning
• notion
• objective
• opinion
• perception
• plan
• scheme
• sense
• solution
• suggestion
• theory