adjective
imaginary
Existing only in the imagination.
The child sets an extra plate for her imaginary friend.
Etymology
The Latin root names an image. Imaginary describes what exists as a mental image or conception rather than as an independently present reality.
More examples
- The dancers pretend to climb an imaginary ladder.
- The story takes place in an imaginary city.
- His fear of the dark turns shadows into imaginary monsters.
Forms
imaginary
imagine verb — Form a mental image of something.
imagination noun — Ability to form mental images or ideas.
Similar words
- fictional
- Invented as part of a story, rather than merely imagined.
- hypothetical
- Assumed for discussion or reasoning, not necessarily nonexistent.