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 fantasia, directed by former A24 staple Trey Edward Shults and co-starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, cost $15 million. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 17 May 2025

Originally released anonymously, this homoerotic fantasia created by the photographer James Bidgood, newly restored by the film and television archive at the University of California, Los Angeles, gets its first theatrical run in 54 years at Metrograph, starting April 11. —J. Hoberman, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025

Manuel Venegas, the museum’s director of media relations, asked Schneider to explain the meaning behind the many windows and doors of this shanty town-esque fantasia. —Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025

The latest surreal fantasia from the French Canadian circus phenome, Cirque du Soleil, delights the eye, as expected, but also stirs the soul with a dreamlike pageant that evokes the splendors of the natural world. —Karen D'souza, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 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