ideer

Ideer is the Danish word for ideas. The plural noun refers to mental concepts, suggestions, or plans conceived by a person or group. The singular form is idé, and the definite forms are ideen (the idea) and ideerne (the ideas). This vocabulary is used across everyday language, education, business, and the arts to discuss proposals, plans, or imagined concepts.

Etymology: Ideer is borrowed from the French idée, which itself derives from Latin idea and Greek eidos, meaning form or appearance. The Danish spelling preserves the root vowel in its singular form, with the plural adding typical Danish -er ending.

Usage: In Danish, ideas are commonly discussed in both casual and formal contexts. An idea can be any proposed solution, concept, or creative notion. In creative and product development, the term ideation describes the process of generating many ideas and selecting promising ones, often through brainstorming, to be refined into concrete actions or prototypes. Education and entrepreneurship frequently emphasize ideer as starting points for projects, inventions, or improvements.

Compared terms and nuance: While ideer covers general concepts, more specialized terms exist for related processes, such as ideudvikling (idea development) and brainstorming sessions. In philosophy or cognitive science discussions, the English term idea is often translated as idé or ideer, depending on context, without changing the underlying meaning.

See also: ideation, ideudvikling.