1 beau ideal | Definition of beau ideal

beau ideal

noun
beau ide·​al | \ ˌbō-ī-ˈdē(-ə)l How to pronounce beau ideal (audio) , ˌbō-ˌē-dā-ˈäl How to pronounce beau ideal (audio) \
plural beau ideals

Definition of beau ideal

: the perfect type or model

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Examples of beau ideal in a Sentence

she is the beau ideal of the beautiful but unassuming film actress Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous architectural creation, Falling Water, is widely regarded as the beau ideal of a building in harmony with its setting.

Recent Examples on the Web

If Teddy Roosevelt was the Harvard beau ideal at the turn of the last century, Mark Zuckerberg is the Harvard man to be in the new millennium. William Stadiem, Town & Country, "Can Harvard's Storied Final Clubs Resist the Tides of Change?," 2 Aug. 2016 If Hicks is the beau ideal in today’s MLB, then Miles Mikolas is a throwback to the Roosevelt administration. Michael Beller, SI.com, "What's Behind the Incredible Success of Cardinals Starting Pitcher Miles Mikolas?," 23 May 2018 Conservatives like to imagine Reagan as the beau ideal of a president who faithfully adhered to their principles, but Trump is the president who has actually done it. Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Donald Trump Is the Most Pure Conservative President Ever," 23 Feb. 2018 Male dictators are Trump’s beau ideal of an admirable world leader. Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump’s Favorite World Leaders Are All Male Dictators," 24 Jan. 2018 There was a time when the beau ideal was to drive your sports car to the track, paint numbers on it, go racing and then drive home. Dan Neil, WSJ, "2017 Ford GT: A $450,000 Road Rocket That’s Two Cars in One," 6 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beau ideal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of beau ideal

1786, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for beau ideal

French beau idéal ideal beauty

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More from Merriam-Webster on beau ideal

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with beau ideal

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for beau ideal