fancy

Meaning

Noun

1. The imagination.
2. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.
3. An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.
4. A whim.
5. Love or amorous attachment.
6. The object of inclination or liking.
7. Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.
8. The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.
9. A diamond with a distinctive colour.
10. That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
11. A bite-sized sponge cake, with a layer of cream, covered in icing.
12. (obsolete) A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
13. In the game of jacks, a style of play involving additional actions (contrasted with plainsies).
14. (in-compounds, obsolete, slang) A colored neckerchief worn at prizefights to show support for a contender.

Adj

1. Decorative, or featuring decorations, especially intricate or diverse ones.
2. Of a superior grade.
3. Executed with skill.
4. (colloquial) Unnecessarily complicated.
5. (obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.

Adv

In a fancy manner; fancily.

Verb

1. (formal) To appreciate without jealousy or greed.
2. (British) Would like; have a desire for.
3. (British, informal) To be sexually, aesthetically or romantically attracted to.
4. (dated) To imagine, suppose.
5. To form a conception of; to portray in the mind.
6. To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
7. (transitive) To breed (animals) as a hobby.

Opposite of

plain, simple

Synonyms

imagination

imagine

fantasy

desire

whim

caprice

wish

like

dream

😴💭

keenness

inclination

think

🤔

ambition

conceive

eagerness

ardour

ardor

itch

love

❤️

daydream

suppose

notion

visualize

picture

envision

illusion

phantasy

freak

elegant

magnificent

appreciate

liking

figure

think well of

image

estimate

think highly of

enjoy

prize

conjecture

wonderful

hallucination

ornate

have a high regard for

partiality

appraise

care for

gauge

assess

judge

🧑‍⚖️

Translations

fantaisie

zucht

Begehr

lust

zin

wens

begeerte

désir

desig

verlangen

Wunsch

Lust

fantasia

desiderio

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfæn.si/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: fancien

In summary

From Middle English fansy, fantsy, a contraction of fantasy, fantasye, fantasie, from Old French fantasie, from Medieval Latin fantasia, from Late Latin phantasia (“an idea, notion, fancy, phantasm”), from Ancient Greek φαντασία (phantasía), from φαντάζω (phantázō, “to render visible”), from φαντός (phantós, “visible”), from φαίνω (phaínō, “to make visible”); from the same root as φάος (pháos, “light”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂nyéti, from the root *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”). Doublet of fantasia, fantasy, phantasia, and phantasy.

Sentences

I fancy she was wanted about the mince pies .