fantasia

noun

fan·​ta·​sia fan-ˈtā-zhə 

-zhē-ə, 

-zē-ə;

ˌfan-tə-ˈzē-ə

1

: a free usually instrumental composition not in strict form

2

a

: a work (such as a poem or play) in which the author's fancy roves unrestricted

b

: something possessing grotesque, bizarre, or unreal qualities

Examples of fantasia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cale has, by that point, laid out the tropes of a typical coastal interloper’s gay fantasia of the Mountain West. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025

The 17 suites of the new hotel are similarly minimalist sanctums made of polished concrete and dark wood, tucked away in a wilderness fantasia and connected to a main building where guests congregate around an infinity pool and elegant restaurant. —David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025

Their parents bought for a song in the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s, and are now welcoming the kids back to a Baumbachian fantasia of coffee shops and parks, Chipotles and Aesops, boutiques and enviable public schools. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 2 Oct. 2025

The annual fan fantasia for all things entertainment, San Diego Comic-Con, is back for more panels, pop-ups, and can't-miss presentations. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 22 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from Italian, "imagination as a faculty, rare phenomenon, exotic object, refined ornament, improvised musical variation," borrowed from Late Latin phantasia "imagination as a faculty, mental image of something perceived physically" — more at fantasy entry 1

Note: The musical term is conventionally attributed to Italian, though the linguistic context in which it is first used is uncertain.

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fantasia

• aphasia
• aplasia
• dysplasia
• achalasia
• euthanasia
• hyperplasia
• hypoplasia
• metaplasia
• neoplasia
• telangiectasia

Kids Definition

fantasia

noun

fan·​ta·​sia fan-ˈtā-zhə 

ˌfant-ə-ˈzē-ə

: a musical composition written without following a particular style