fantasy English · revision 4702

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1325|origins=grc φαντασία}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈfæn.tə.si/, US /ˈfæn.t̬ə.si/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|fantasie]], [[bor|fro|fantasie|t=vision, imagination]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|phantasia]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[grc|φαντασία|tr=phantasía|t=appearance, image, perception, imagination]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from phantázesthai “to picture to oneself”, from phantós “visible”, from phaínesthai “to appear”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) related to phôs “light”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*bʰeh₂-|alt=*bha-|t=to shine]].^(Etymonline) From the 16th to the 19th century the Latinized spelling phantasy was also used.^(NODE 1998)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[fancy]], [[phantom]] and [[phenomenon]].^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A spectral apparition, an illusory appearance: about 1325 in the OED,^(OED 1989) the early 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) Barnhart has the use of the imagination about 1350.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In scholastic psychology it was the faculty that apprehends objects of perception (before 1382).^(OED 1989) A whimsical notion or illusion is from before 1400,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and imagination in general, especially extravagant imagination, from 1539.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The shortened form [[fancy]] took over many of the lighter senses.^(Barnhart 1988) A daydream arising from wishes is from 1926,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and fantasy as the name of a fiction genre by 1939.^(Etymonline) The verb, to imagine, is from about 1430.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) ''Fantasy football'' and similar games date from the 1980s.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1325 – an apparition, illusion.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1350 – the use of imagination.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * a. 1400 – a whimsical notion.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1430 – verb, to imagine.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1539 – extravagant imagination.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1926 – a wish-fulfilling daydream.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1939 – a fiction genre.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A pleasant situation that one imagines but that is unlikely to happen; a [[daydream]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The power of creating things in the [[imagination]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[genre]] of fiction with magic, imaginary worlds or supernatural events.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An idea with no basis in reality.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To imagine or [[fantasize]].^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fantasist]]

+ * [[fantastic]]

+ * [[nonfantasy]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fantasize]]

+ * [[fancy]]

+ * [[phantom]]

+ * [[phenomenon]]

+ * [[phase]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}