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

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

Rick Owens’ daring, baptismal fantasia in the fountain of the Palais de Tokyo was astonishing and a perfect opening for his retrospective show across the boulevard at the Palais Galliera. —Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 30 June 2025

With the fifth entry in the franchise, however, the series went Bond — becoming an international fantasia of increasingly fantastical set pieces, each one more ludicrous than the last. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 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