Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fantasy” come from?

Fantasy derives from Old French fantasie, from Latin phantasia, from Ancient Greek φαντασία, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root bʰeh₂- meaning to shine or appear.

fantasy (English): That which comes from one's imagination; The...

Definitions

  1. That which comes from one's imagination; The...

Ancestry of “fantasy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfantasie—
2Old Frenchfantasiefantasy
3Medieval LatinfantasiaAlternative form of phantasia
4Latinphantasiafancy, idea, notion; fantasy; phantom,...
5Ancient Greekφαντασίαlook, appearance, presentation, display; showy...
6Ancient Greekφᾰ́ντᾰσῐς—
7Ancient Greekφᾰντᾰ́ζωmake visible; to make visible, show; to become...
8Ancient GreekφαίνωI cause to appear, bring to light; I show,...
9English-typeimpressed form; stamp; print; typical form; Used...
10Ancient GreekτύποςA blow, pressing; The results of a blow: mark,...
11Ancient Greekτύπτωto beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself
12Proto-Indo-European(s)tewp-to push, to stick
13Proto-Indo-European(s)tew-to push, to hit

Words derived from “fantasy”

  • fantasist
  • telefantasy
  • nonfantasy
  • fantasylike
  • cyberfantasy
  • paleofantasy
  • fantasie
  • фэнтези
  • fantasy
  • fantasie
  • fantasy
  • fantasia
  • fantasi
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- →