Eidos
/ˈaɪ.dɒs/noun
A form, shape, or ideal archetype; in philosophy, the essential nature or idea of a thing.
Did you know?In Plato’s philosophy, eidos became the word for the eternal, invisible Forms — the unseen templates that supposedly cast the material world as a shadow.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
εἶδος (eîdos)
“shape, form, appearance, visible form”
Classical Greek Philosophy
Greek
εἶδος (eîdos)
“the essential form or ideal pattern of a thing”
Late Latin
Latin
idea
“a form, image, or notion”
Middle English
English
idea
“a mental image or concept”
Modern English
English
idea
“a thought, concept, or plan”
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