utopia

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a book written by Sir Thomas More (1516) describing the perfect society on an imaginary island
  2. noun ideally perfect state; especially in its social and political and moral aspects
  3. noun a work of fiction describing a utopia

Etymology

From New Latin Ūtopia, the name of a fictional island possessing a seemingly perfect socio-politico-legal system in the book Utopia (1516) by Sir Thomas More. Coined from Ancient Greek οὐ (ou, “not”) + τόπος (tópos, “place, region”) + -ία (-ía). Compare English topos and -ia.

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