imaginary

Meanings

Adjective

Noun

  • Imagination; fancy.
  • An imaginary quantity.
  • The set of values, institutions, laws, and symbols common to a particular social group and the corresponding society through which people imagine their social whole.

Related

Similar words

  • all in one's head

Origin

  • From Middle French imaginaire, from Latin imāginārius ("relating to images, fancied"), from imāgō.
  • The mathematical sense derives from René Descartes's use (of the French imaginaire) in 1637, La Geometrie, to ridicule the notion of regarding non-real roots of polynomials as numbers. Although Descartes' usage was derogatory, the designation stuck even after the concept gained acceptance in the 18th century.

Modern English dictionary

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