quixotic

not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic

Like Don Quixote; romantic to extravagance; absurdly chivalric; apt to be deluded.

Spanish 'quixote' from Cervantes' Don Quixote

“That I was not discovered was due to a certain quixotic twist in my father's character.”

— Winston Churchill, Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Winston Churchill

In Istanbul's bazaar, Seraphina dreamed of finding a magic carpet. She ignored vendors’ laughter as her quixotic quest continued, convinced one existed despite endless piles of mundane rugs. Her eyes sparkled with every hopeful glance, until she tripped over a real one, hidden under a dusty blanket.

Vera perched on the edge of Bilbao's Santiago Cathedral steps, her eyes fixed on the Nervión River as she dreamed aloud about building a bridge from the church to the Guggenheim Museum with nothing but string and paper clips. Her quixotic plan left her breathless, imagining the impossible feat connecting art and faith.

“The character of Don Quixote became so well known in its time that the word quixotic was quickly adopted by many languages.”