imaginary
/ˌɪˈmædʒəˌneɹi/ih-MA-juh-neh-ree
/ˌɪˈmædʒəˌnɛɹi/ih-MA-juh-neh-ree
Meaninglinked with picturing
Common meaning: existing only in the mind
- imaga likeness, copy, portraitLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 888 · scan
- inadjective ending: of the nature of
- aryending: linked with, or a place for
Journey through time
- Latinimāgō, -inis‘a likeness, copy, portrait’
- Frenchimaginer
- Englishimagine‘to form a picture in the mind’
- Englishformed in English from imagineimaginary‘existing only in the mind’ · today
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from imagine + -ary.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), IMAGINE, p.282 · scan
Roots
- imāgō, -inis Latin “a likeness, copy, portrait”
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app