utopia
Say it: yoo-TOH-pee-uh /juːˈtəʊpiə/ · noun
What “utopia” means
An imagined society where everything is perfect.
More precisely: An imagined place or society where everything is perfect.
Example: “The founders pitched the co-living space as a utopia; reality had more dirty dishes.”
When to use it
When discussing imagined ideal societies, or joking about a place that promises a perfect life for everyone.
Memory trick
Its Greek roots mean 'no place': a perfect society imagined elsewhere.
Similar words
paradise, Eden, ideal world
Where it comes from
Coined by Thomas More in 1516 from Greek ou 'not' and topos 'place'.
Quick check
In your story, everyone has enough food, fair treatment and lasting peace, with no problems. What have you imagined?
a democracy or a utopia?
Show the answer
a utopia
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