Imagination

/ɪˌmædʒ.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

Meaning & Definition

noun
The faculty or action of forming new ideas, images, or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.
Her imagination knew no bounds, allowing her to create worlds far beyond reality.
The ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful.
He used his imagination to come up with innovative solutions to complex problems.
The part of the mind that imagines or dreams.
In her imagination, she traveled to distant lands and met extraordinary people.
A mental representation or concept.
The story was so vivid that it painted a picture in my imagination that stayed with me.
An unrealistic hope or belief.
His expectation of winning the lottery was merely a product of his imagination.

Etymology

From Latin 'imaginatio', from 'imaginari' meaning 'to form an image'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

wild imagination
A very active or inventive imagination.
let your imagination run wild
To allow your thoughts to be free and creative without limitations.
power of imagination
The ability of the imagination to create or influence.

Related Words

imaginative
Having a creative or inventive mind.
image
A representation of the external form of a person or thing in art.
fantasy
The faculty or activity of imagining things, especially things that are impossible or improbable.

Slang Meanings

Brainstorming
Let's do some brainstorming for our project.
Daydreaming
He spent the class daydreaming instead of paying attention.