English · Word Candidate

idea

/aɪ̯ˈdɪə̯/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: ideas

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

An abstract archetype of a given thing, compared to which real-life examples are seen as imperfect approximations; pure essence, as opposed to actual examples.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Kiểu mẫu trừu tượng của một sự vật nhất định

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

The idea that the same experiments always get the same results, no matter who performs them, is one of the cornerstones of science’s claim to objective truth. If a systematic campaign of replication does not lead to the same results, then either the original research is flawed (as the replicators cl

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

An image of an object that is formed in the mind or recalled by the memory.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Hình ảnh của một vật được hình thành trong tâm trí hoặc nhớ lại bởi ký ức

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

The mere idea of you is enough to excite me.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “idea” mean?

An abstract archetype of a given thing, compared to which real-life examples are seen as imperfect approximations; pure essence, as opposed to actual examples.

Is “idea” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.