A person who believes that ideals and principles are more important than practical realities, or who tries to live according to high moral standards.
From 'ideal' (from Latin 'idealis,' relating to form or idea) plus the suffix '-ist' (one who practices or believes in). The philosophical meaning developed in the 18th century with German philosophers like Kant.
Idealists in philosophy claim that reality might literally be made of ideas and perceptions—but in everyday life, an 'idealist' is just someone who hasn't yet learned that the world is messier than their principles. It's the beautiful and tragic difference between theory and practice.
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