idealer

Idealer is an English noun that is used rarely to describe a person who forms, promotes, or adheres to ideals. In this sense, an idealler is someone who idealizes or champions ethical principles or social aims. The term is largely esoteric in contemporary usage and is more often replaced by synonyms such as idealist or idealizer.

The word derives from the adjective ideal, with the agentive suffix -er to indicate someone who performs the action related to ideals. Because idealler is not common in modern English, it typically appears in historical, philosophical, or literary texts rather than in everyday speech.

Usage and connotation: When used, idealler tends to emphasize the active role of constructing or promoting an ideal, rather than merely believing in it. Modern writers typically prefer idealist (a person who pursues ideals) or idealizer (one who creates idealized versions of things). As a result, idealler can sound archaic or pedantic, and may require context for clarity.

Cross-linguistic note: In German, idealler exists as the comparative form of the adjective ideal (meaning “more ideal”), which is a separate, unrelated usage from the English noun idealler.

See also: ideal, idealism, idealization, idealist, idealizer.