I love this word. First a little history lesson, this word was coined after the story of Don Quixote was published. The story tells of a hero, Don Quixote, dreams up a romantic ideal world which he believes to be real. For example he winds up getting into imaginary fights with windmills that he regards as giants.
There are two main definitions for this word
1)extravagantly chivalrous or romantic
OR....
2) Exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.
I could not help but chuckle when I saw the parallel here. After the chuckle came the fear. One little word telling me that all my fantasies about romance are "exceedingly idealistic. One little word pointing, laughing, mocking my girlish notions of my white knight coming to rescue me.
What will women do if this word enters popular circulation? Would it be the end of the chick flick? One more unrealistic than the next. Come to think of it, it is more our perception of the chick flick than the chick flick itself that is quixotic. No matter what they create, we buy it, we want it, and we believe we can attain i.t
I guess when they coined the term "hopeless romantic" rather than meaning a person who is in love with love, it means that romance is hopeless.
All the of the doom and gloom being said, I think the word itself sounds romantic and whimsical. Just saying quixotic gives me little flutter in my cockles of my heart and makes me want to go watch the Notebook and wash it down with a Sex in the City Marathon. Maybe we will live happily ever after, after all.
