Quixotism
/ˈkwɪksətɪzəm/noun
Impractical idealism or romantic, visionary behavior modeled on Don Quixote.
Did you know?The word comes from Don Quixote, whose name may itself refer to a piece of thigh armor, although that deeper connection is uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
1605
Spanish
Don Quixote / Don Quijote
“The fictional knight-errant created by Miguel de Cervantes, whose grand ideals repeatedly collide with reality.”
1615
Spanish
Don Quijote
“The name used in the continuation of Cervantes’s novel, completing the character’s transformation into a cultural symbol of impossible idealism.”
18th Century
English
Quixotic
“Like Don Quixote; extravagantly idealistic, visionary, or impractical.”
Early 19th Century
English
Quixotism
“The condition or quality of being quixotic—romantic idealism pursued without practical judgment.”
Modern English
English
quixotism
“Impractical idealism, especially when expressed through grand but unrealistic projects or causes.”