Don Quixote is a knight errant who embarks on impossible quests, driven by an idealistic and unrealistic view of the world. He often mistakes windmills for giants and sees danger and adventure where none exist.
Over time, "quixotic" came to describe someone who:
* Is idealistic and romantic to the point of being unrealistic.
* Pursues impractical goals or dreams.
* Has a tendency to be impractical and impractical.
* Shows impractical idealism or romanticism.
The character of Don Quixote became so iconic that his name and the adjective "quixotic" became synonymous with his characteristics. The word is now used to describe someone who is idealistic and impractical, often to the point of being foolish.