Imaginary

Definition

Imaginary is an adjective describing something that exists only in the imagination and is not real. It can also refer to concepts or ideas created in the mind, such as fictional characters or hypothetical situations.

Parts of Speech

• Adjective

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ɪˈmædʒ.ɪˌnɛr.i/
• Respelling: ih-MAJ-ih-nair-ee

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ɪˈmædʒ.ɪ.nə.ri/
• Respelling: ih-MAJ-ih-nuh-ree

Etymology

The word "imaginary" originates from the Latin "imaginarius," meaning "pertaining to images," derived from "imago," meaning "image" or "likeness." It entered the English language in the late 16th century, maintaining its association with mental images and non-reality.

Derivatives

• Imagination (noun)
• Imaginarily (adverb)
• Imaginariness (noun)
• Imaginative (adjective)
• Imagine (verb)

Synonyms

• Fictional
• Unreal
• Hypothetical

Antonyms

• Real
• Tangible
• Concrete

Usage

The term "imaginary" is used to describe things that are purely mental constructs or do not exist in reality. For example, "Children often have imaginary friends," or "The concept is purely imaginary and has no basis in fact."

Related Terms

• Fiction: Prose literature that describes imaginary events and characters.
• Fantasy: Imaginative fiction involving magical elements.
• Conceptual: Relating to ideas or concepts.

Detailed Definitions

Adjective

• Existing only in the mind: Refers to something that has no physical or factual reality.
  • Example: "The monster under the bed was entirely imaginary."
• Created as a mental construct or fiction: Refers to things fabricated by the imagination, such as stories or ideas.
  • Example: "The novel is set in an imaginary world."
• Mathematics: Refers to numbers that are multiples of the square root of -1, used in complex number theory.
  • Example: "In mathematics, the term 'imaginary numbers' refers to numbers involving the imaginary unit 'i'."