Idea etymology in English

Etymology Blog

English word idea comes from Proto-Indo-European *weydstos, Proto-Indo-European *weid-, Ancient Greek εἴδω

Dictionary entry	Language	Definition
*weydstos	Proto-Indo-European (ine)	knowledgeable
*weid-	Proto-Indo-European (ine)	to see, know, see
εἴδω	Ancient Greek (grc)
ἰδέα	Ancient Greek (grc)
idea	Latin (lat)	Idea. Prototype (Platonic).
idea	English (en)	(music) A musical theme or melodic subject. [from 18th c.]. (obsolete) The conception of someone or something as representing a perfect example; an ideal. [16th-19th c.]. (obsolete) The form or shape of something; a quintessential aspect or characteristic. [16th-18th c.]. (philosophy) An abstract archetype of a given thing, compared to which real-life examples are seen as imperfect [...]

Idea etymology