Imaginary

/ɪˈmædʒ.ɪ.nər.i/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

Existing only in the imagination; not real.

The imaginary friend she created helped her cope with loneliness.

Relating to or denoting figures or quantities that are not real or do not exist in reality.

In mathematics, an imaginary number is defined as a complex number that can be written as a real number multiplied by the imaginary unit i.

Unreal; fanciful; not based on any tangible evidence.

He often told the children stories about imaginary lands and creatures.

Pertaining to something that is not based on fact.

Her fear of the dark was born from imaginary monsters lurking in the shadows.

From Latin 'imaginary', from 'imaginarius', meaning 'existing in imagination'.

imaginary friend

A friend that exists only in someone's imagination, typically a child’s companion.

imaginary line

A boundary that is not concretely marked but is useful for understanding geography.

imagine

To form a picture or idea in the mind.

imagination

The ability to create ideas or pictures in the mind.

Used to describe something that isn't real, often in a dismissive way.

He's not a player, just some imaginary guy.

Referring to exaggerations or fantasies.

All those stories of what happened at the party are just imaginary.