From Cervantes' fictional Don Quixote (1605), who attacked windmills believing them giants — noble idealism crossing into delusion.
Extremely idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.
From Don Quixote, the deluded knight-errant in Cervantes' 1605 novel who attacked windmills believing them to be giants. The character's name became an adjective for anyone pursuing noble but impossible dreams with endearing foolishness. Key roots: Quixote (Spanish: "possibly from 'quijote' (thigh armor
Cervantes wrote such a good character that his name became an English adjective. 'Quixotic' is rare — most eponyms come from real people, but Don Quixote is entirely fictional. The word captures something no existing English word could: idealism so pure it becomes delusion, but so sincere it earns