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

The menu is a fantasia of 1970s hippie chow starring whole-wheat breads, housemade nut patties and plenty of sprouts. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026

But partway though a fantasia on American tunes, a man sitting across my aisle in Jay Pritzker Pavilion curled inwards on himself. — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

The pool, a multilevel fantasia of waterslides and relaxation areas, was laced with walkways shaded by native plants; our children played there for hours. — Julie Orringer, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2026

Fuller, in turn, tapped into the new technology of electricity to create trippy fantasias in which the body merged with fabric and color to become something larger and weirder than itself. — Marina Harss, New Yorker, 3 June 2026

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