beau ideal

American  

noun

plural

beaus ideal, beaux ideal, beau ideals

1. a conception of perfect beauty.

2. a model of excellence.

---

beau idéal British  

/ bo ideal /

noun

1. perfect beauty or excellence

---

Etymology

Origin of beau ideal

First recorded in 1795–1805, beau ideal is from French beau idéal literally, “ideal beauty.” See beau, ideal

Example Sentences

When I ask for his American political beau ideal, he says Alexander Hamilton.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s not surprising that Mr. Serrano found his way to Ms. Wilson, who, like Mr. Duncan, the author’s beau ideal of a player, “banks in beauty.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Their friendship was the beau ideal of warrior comrades.

From Washington Post

Philanthropic achievements made him the beau ideal for plutocrats as renaissance men.

From New York Times

The women who in various ways competed for Hitler’s attention to embody the beau ideal of womanhood in the Reich: fecund, contentedly subservient, vying for the Fürher’s admiration.

From Washington Post