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Where does the word "fantasy" come from? It comes from Greek phantasia, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "fantasy" come from? It comes from Greek phantasia, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Fantasy’s story begins in Greek: phantasia meant “an appearance, imagination.” An appearance, or the mind's power to form images. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as fantasie. Carried into French for imagination and whimsical notions. It reached English by 1300s as fantasy. Settled as the word for imaginative or unreal ideas. Today, fantasy means imaginative fiction, or a pleasant but unlikely daydream.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient phantasia "an appearance, imagination", an appearance, or the mind's power to form images.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval fantasie "imagination, a whimsical idea", carried into French for imagination and whimsical notions.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s fantasy "imaginative fiction, or a fanciful idea", settled as the word for imaginative or unreal ideas.