Utopia

/juːˈtoʊpiə/ noun

Definition

An imagined perfect society where everyone lives in peace, fairness, and happiness. It is often used to describe ideal but unrealistic plans for society.

Etymology

Coined by Sir Thomas More in 1516 for his book 'Utopia', from Greek 'ou' (not) + 'topos' (place), meaning 'no place' or 'nowhere'. It was a pun, also sounding like 'eutopia' (good place).

Kelly Says

Utopia literally means 'no place', hinting that a perfect society doesn’t actually exist. The built-in pun with 'good place' shows our tension: we dream of perfection while suspecting it’s impossible.

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