What does quixotic mean?
Word: Quixotic
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Quixotic means full of noble ideas and plans that are not realistic.
How do you spell quixotic?
Syllables: quix - ot - ic
Tricky part: The 'ks' sound in the middle is the trap. It is a single x, so anything with ck or ks in that place is wrong.
Watch out for: quicksotic, quiksotic
Memory tip: Think of the knight Don Quixote, the dreamer behind this word. His name has an x, and so does the adjective.
Quixotic in a sentence
Example 1: Sana's quixotic scheme was to teach every pigeon in Mumbai to carry letters.
Example 2: It may sound quixotic, but my uncle hopes to row across the Bay of Bengal.
Example 3: The film follows a quixotic inventor who wants to power a town with bicycles.
Fun Fact
Don Quixote, the hero of the novel Miguel de Cervantes published in the early 1600s, sets out to bring back the age of knights and mistakes windmills for giants.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
quixotick
a) t
b) o
c) k
d) i
Show answer
c) k. The adjective needs one letter fewer at its close, the same way as exotic does.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters to find the word that fits the sentence:
It was xciqituo of Dev to believe he could clean the whole beach before lunch.
a) chaotic
b) quizzical
c) quixotic
d) exotic
Show answer
c) quixotic. With a q and an x and two i's, the jumble can only make quixotic.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word quixotic as used in the sentence:
Her quixotic plan to plant a million trees on the school roof made us all smile.
a) dreamy
b) idealistic
c) practical
d) romantic
Show answer
c) practical. A plan you can actually carry out is practical; the other three words sit close to quixotic.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. quixotic 2. lacconic 3. benevolant 4. gregarius
a) fond of being with other people
b) using very few words
c) chasing a fine dream that can never come true
d) kind and ready to help others
Show answer
c) chasing a fine dream that can never come true. Benevolent takes ent at the end, gregarious has an o, and laconic has one c, which leaves quixotic.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which plan would most people call quixotic?
a) cleaning an entire river alone in a week
b) saving part of your pocket money each month
c) booking train tickets a month in advance
d) revising one chapter before a class test
Show answer
a) cleaning an entire river alone in a week
2. A friend calls your idea quixotic. What is she politely telling you?
a) It sounds fine but will never happen.
b) Other people have already done it.
c) It is too dull to interest anyone.
d) You should get started on it today.
Show answer
a) It sounds fine but will never happen.
