Skip to content
word of the day

The word for today is…

quixotic (adj) – 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality.
2. Capricious; impulsive.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : If you guessed that quixotic has something to do with Don Quixote, you’re absolutely right. The hero of Miguel de Cervantes’ 17th-century Spanish novel El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha (in English “The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha”) didn’t change the world by tilting at windmills, but he did leave a linguistic legacy in English. The adjective quixotic is based on his name and has been used to describe unrealistic idealists since at least the early 18th century. The novel has given English other words as well. Dulcinea, the name of Quixote’s beloved, has come to mean “mistress” or “sweetheart,” and rosinante, which is sometimes used to refer to an old, broken-down horse, comes from the name of the hero’s less-than-gallant steed, Rocinante.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends.

Latest