idea
UK: /aɪˈdɪə/ | US: /aɪˈdiːə/
n. a thought, suggestion, or concept formed in the mind
n. a mental impression or plan
n. a belief or opinion
The word "idea" traces back to the Greek idein ("to see"), reflecting the ancient association between visual perception and mental concepts. The root ide- evolved into Latin idea, meaning "archetype" or "model," before entering English in the 14th century via French. Originally tied to Platonic philosophy (where "Ideas" were perfect eternal forms), its meaning broadened to encompass any mental conception. The suffix -a marks it as a noun, preserving its Greek/Latin structure.
She had a brilliant idea for the project.
The idea of freedom inspired the revolution.
His idea of fun is reading philosophy books.
The team brainstormed ideas to solve the problem.
Ancient Greek philosophers debated the nature of ideas.