eidos

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈaɪdɑːs/ UK /ˈaɪdɒs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the ideal form or essence of something, especially in philosophical contexts

Plato's theory of forms suggests that every object has an eidos, or perfect form.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the ideal form or essence... archetype form essence prototype model

Opposites

instance particular

Etymology

From Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos, "form, shape, essence"), from the Proto-Indo-European root *weid- ("to see"); adopted into English as a philosophical term for ideal form or essence.

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# eidos

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈaɪdɑːs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈaɪdɒs/

## Meanings
1. the ideal form or essence of something, especially in philosophical contexts

## Examples
- Plato's theory of forms suggests that every object has an eidos, or perfect form.

## Synonyms
- archetype
- form
- essence
- prototype
- model

## Antonyms
- instance
- particular

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos, "form, shape, essence"), from the Proto-Indo-European root *weid- ("to see"); adopted into English as a philosophical term for ideal form or essence.

## AI Etymology
Eidos comes from Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos, "form, shape, essence"), from the Proto-Indo-European root *weid- ("to see"); adopted into English as a philosophical term for ideal form or essence. In current use it is a noun meaning "the ideal form or essence of something, especially in philosophical contexts". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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eidos

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