edenic

Edenic is an English adjective meaning relating to or resembling the Garden of Eden, or describing a paradise-like, idyllic state.

Originating from the Garden of Eden in Jewish and Christian scriptures, with “Gan” meaning garden and “Eden” implying delight, the term entered English in the early modern period through Latin and other biblical languages. It is used to evoke a sense of unspoiled perfection associated with the biblical Eden.

In usage, edenic describes landscapes, climates, or social conditions that are considered pristine, innocent, or idealized. It can be literal, referring to a place perceived as resembling Eden, or figurative, applying to moments of peace, abundance, or harmony. The term is often employed in literary, religious, or cultural criticism to express nostalgia for a prelapsarian innocence or to critique contemporary life by comparing it with an imagined edenic past. It can also appear in environmental discourse to discuss restoration projects aimed at recreating a natural, undisturbed state.

See also: prelapsarian, paradisiacal, utopia, pastoral.