Etymology

The surname of Don Quixote, the titular character in the novel by Miguel Cervantes, +

Adjective

1. Possessing or acting with the desire to do noble and romantic deeds, without thought of realism and practicality.
2. Impulsive.
3. Like Don Quixote; romantic to extravagance; absurdly chivalric; apt to be deluded.

Usage notes

Although the term is derived from the name of the character, Don Quixote, the is fully pronounced; the in , by contrast, is pronounced more as an . Conversely, received pronunciation maintains the pronunciation of the semivowel "h" without the strong phoneme of 'x".