idealize
UK: aɪˈdɪəlaɪz | US: aɪˈdiəlaɪz
vt. to regard or represent as perfect or better than in reality
vt. to make ideal; elevate to an ideal standard
The word "idealize" combines "ideal," derived from Late Latin "idealis" (pertaining to an idea or perfect form), with the verb-forming suffix "-ize" (from Greek "-izein"). "Ideal" traces back to Greek "idea" (form, pattern), reflecting Plato's philosophy of ideal forms. The suffix "-ize" transforms the noun into a verb, meaning "to make or treat as ideal." The term emerged in the early 19th century, capturing the Romantic era's tendency to elevate reality to artistic or philosophical perfection.
Artists often idealize nature in their paintings.
She tends to idealize her childhood, forgetting the hardships.
The novel idealizes rural life as pure and simple.
Historians warn against idealizing past civilizations.
His speeches idealize democracy, ignoring its complexities.