| ideal | 1. Existing in idea or thought; conceptional; intellectual; mental; as, ideal knowledge. 2. Reaching an imaginary standard of excellence; fit for a model; faultless; as, ideal beauty. "There will always be a wide interval between practical and ideal excellence." (Rambler) 3. Existing in fancy or imagination only; visionary; unreal. "Planning ideal common wealth." 4. Teaching the doctrine of idealism; as, the ideal theory or philosophy. 5. <mathematics> Imaginary. Synonym: Intellectual, mental, visionary, fanciful, imaginary, unreal, impracticable, utopian. Origin: L. Idealis: cf. F. Ideal. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| ideal alveolar gas | The uniform composition of gas that would exist in all alveoli for a given total respiratory exchange if all alveoli had identical ventilation-perfusion ratios and achieved perfect equilibrium with the blood leaving the pulmonary capillaries. (05 Mar 2000) |
| idealist | 1. One who idealizes; one who forms picturesque fancies; one given to romantic expectations. 2. One who holds the doctrine of idealism. Origin: Cf. F. Idealiste. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ideality | 1. The quality or state of being ideal. 2. The capacity to form ideals of beauty or perfection. 3. <psychology> The conceptive faculty. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ideate | <psychology> The actual existence supposed to correspond with an idea; the correlate in real existence to the idea as a thought or existence. Origin: LL. Ideatum. See Idea. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ideation | The formation of ideas or thoughts. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ideational | Relating to ideation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ideational apraxia | Ideatory apraxia, obsolete term for the misuse of objects due to a disturbance of identification (agnosia). (05 Mar 2000) |
| idee fixe | Synonym: fixed idea. Origin: Fr. Obsession (05 Mar 2000) |
| identical | Having the same cause or origin. (18 Nov 1997) |
| identical twins | Identical twins, twins which are the result of a single zygote (fertilized egg) splitting into two cell masses and becoming two individuals. The twins are genetically identical and are always of the same sex (both males or both females). Compare: dizygotic twins. (09 Oct 1997) |
| identification | <psychology> An unconscious defense mechanism by which an individual endeavors to pattern himself after another person. This process is also important in the development of the personality, particularly the superego or conscience, which is modeled largely on the behaviour of adult significant others. (18 Nov 1997) |
| identism | <psychology> The doctrine taught by Schelling, that matter and mind, and subject and object, are identical in the Absolute; called also the system or doctrine of identity. See: identity. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| identity | 1. The state or quality of being identical, or the same; sameness. "Identity is a relation between our cognitions of a thing, not between things themselves." (Sir W. Hamilton) 2. The condition of being the same with something described or asserted, or of possessing a character claimed; as, to establish the identity of stolen goods. 3. <mathematics> An identical equation. Origin: F. Identite, LL. Identitas, fr. L. Idem the same, from the root of is he, that; cf. Skr. Idam this. Cf. Item. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| identity crisis | <psychology> Chaotic concept of self wherein one's role in life appears to be an insoluble dilemma often expressed by isolation, withdrawal, rebellion and extremism. (12 Dec 1998) |