HealthAugust 1, 2026

chimera

ky-MEER-uh

Definition

A thing that is hoped or wished for but is illusory or impossible to achieve.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'khimaira,' originally referring to a fire-breathing monster from Greek mythology composed of parts from multiple animals, which evolved in English to denote any unrealized or impossible fantasy.

In the news

The article uses the word to describe the dream of effective governance in a system plagued by corruption, noting that such a dream remains an unattainable goal under current conditions.

The Mirage of Fragmentation: Territorial Redrawing or Structural Pathology in the Federal Republic?

Read the full article ↗

Minute Mirror

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.