idea etymology

Etymology:

The word "idea" is derived from the Greek word "idein" (ἰδεῖν), meaning "to see," "to perceive," or "to know."

Meaning:

  1. A thought, notion, or concept that exists in the mind.
  2. An essential or defining characteristic.
  3. A plan or proposal.
  4. An ideal or goal.

Origin:

The earliest known use of the word "idea" in English dates back to the 14th century. It was borrowed from the French word "idee," which in turn was derived from the Latin word "idea," which came from the Greek word "idein."

The concept of "idea" has been a subject of philosophical inquiry for centuries. Plato, for example, believed that ideas were eternal and unchanging entities that existed in a realm of their own. In contrast, Aristotle argued that ideas were mental representations of the external world.

The meaning of "idea" has evolved over time. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was commonly used to refer to innate or apriori knowledge. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it came to be associated with the process of cognition and thought.

idea relate terms

  • history

    Etymology Greek ἱστορία historia inquiry knowledge acquired by investigati

  • idea

    Etymology The word idea is derived from the Greek word idein ἰδεῖν meaning

  • vision

    Etymology Vision is derived from the Latin word visio which means sight or seeing

  • story

    Etymology The word story comes from the Middle English word storie which in turn com

  • ideagenous

    Etymology Ideagenous comes from the Greek words ἰδέα idea form idea conc

  • idea

    Etymology The word idea is derived from the Greek word idein ἰδεῖν meaning

  • ideology

    Etymology The word ideology is derived from the French word idéologie which in turn

  • estimation

    Etymology The word estimation comes from the Latin word aestimatio which means to ap

  • thought

    Etymology The word thought comes from the Old English word thoht which means mind

  • augmentative

    Etymology Augmentative From Latin augmentat meaning to increase or to enlarge

  • tautology

    Etymology of Tautology The word tautology is derived from the Ancient Greek words tauto

  • notion

    Etymology of Notion The word notion originates from the Old French word notion meani

  • machine gun

    Etymology Machine From the French word machine meaning engine or device deriv

  • plan

    Etymology The word plan originated from the Latin word planus meaning flat or lev

  • opinion

    Etymology The word opinion originates from the Latin word opinio which means belief

  • reckoning

    Etymology Middle English reknyng from Old English recnung Proto Germanic rakunōn