fancy

1 of 3

verb

fan·​cy ˈfan(t)-sē How to pronounce fancy (audio)
fancied; fancying
Synonyms of fancynext

transitive verb

1
: to have a fancy (see fancy entry 2 sense 1) for : like
He's all right, I suppose, but I can't say that I fancy him.
2
: to form a conception of : imagine
fancy our embarrassment
Just fancy my surprise when I heard that he was getting married.
3
a
: to believe mistakenly or without evidence
b
: to believe without being certain
she fancied she had met him before
real or fancied wrongs
4
: to visualize or interpret as
fancied myself a child again

fancy

2 of 3

noun

plural fancies
1
a
: a liking formed by caprice rather than reason : inclination
took a fancy to the mutt
b
: amorous fondness : love
She took a fancy to the young man.
2
a
: notion, whim
b
: an image or representation of something formed in the mind
3
archaic : fantastic quality or state
4
a
: imagination especially of a capricious or delusive sort
His plans to build a new stadium are the product of pure fancy.
b
: the power of conception and representation used in artistic expression (as by a poet)
5
: taste, judgment
a person of delicate fancy
6
a
: devotees of some particular art, practice, or amusement
b
: the object of interest of such a fancy
especially : boxing entry 1

fancy

3 of 3

adjective

fancier; fanciest
1
: dependent or based on fancy : whimsical
2
a(1)
: not plain : ornamental
a fancy hairdo
(2)
: swank sense 2, posh
a fancy restaurant
b(1)
: of particular excellence or highest grade
fancy tuna
(2)
: impressive
posted some fancy numbers
c
of an animal or plant : bred especially for bizarre or ornamental qualities that lack practical utility
3
: based on conceptions of the fancy
fancy sketches
4
a
: dealing in fancy goods
b
: extravagant
paying fancy prices
5
: executed with technical skill and style
fancy footwork
fancy diving
6
: parti-color
fancy carnations
fancily
ˈfan(t)-sə-lē How to pronounce fancy (audio)
adverb
fanciness
ˈfan(t)-sē-nəs How to pronounce fancy (audio)
noun

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

Adjective

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for fancy

think, conceive, imagine, fancy, realize, envisage, envision mean to form an idea of.

think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection.

I just thought of a good joke

conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed.

envisaged a totally computerized operation
envisioned a cure for the disease

Examples of fancy in a Sentence

Verb Which horse do you fancy in the Derby? try to fancy, if you can, our mother on an elephant when she was touring India Noun His plans to build a new stadium are the product of pure fancy. Critics have dismissed his plan as mere fancy. Adjective He drives a big, fancy car. we're having a little get-together after the concert—nothing fancy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Post-Pizzagate, everything is Pizzagate; post-Serial, everyone fancies themselves an uncut investigative gem. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024 And fancying someone isn’t something that most of us have control over. —Daisy Jones, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
That is to say that occultism is less concerned with faith or facts, but rather with fancy. —Ed Simon, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024 Creating entire worlds doesn’t feel like a flight of fancy. —Adam B. Vary, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Nvidia’s latest customer will use its fancy new chip to build an ultra-powerful AI supercomputer. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024 Lots of fancy restaurants, Lots of booze, lots of Instagram photos of expensive meals. —Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fancy 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English fantasien, fantesien, fancyen "to plan, devise, create, form (an idea), imagine (something false), desire," in part derivative of fantasie, fantsy, fansey fancy entry 2, in part borrowed from Middle French fantasier "to imagine, invent," verbal derivative of fantasie fantasy entry 1

Noun

Middle English fantasie, fantsy, fansey "the imagination as a faculty, mental image produced by this faculty, deluded notion, figment of the imagination, preference directed by caprice rather than reason, liking" — more at fantasy entry 1

Note: The disyllabic form, a rare variant of fantasie fantasy entry 1 in Middle English, became more common and began to separate in sense from fantasie/fantasy in early Modern English.

Adjective

from attributive use of fancy entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Adjective

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fancy was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing fancy

Dictionary Entries Near fancy

fan-crested

fancy

fancy bread

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Fancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fancy. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

fancy

1 of 3 verb
fancied; fancying
1
: to have a fancy for : like
2
: to form a mental image of : imagine

fancy

2 of 3 noun
fan·​cy
ˈfan(t)-sē
plural fancies
1
: liking
took a fancy to the stray dog
2
: notion, whim
a passing fancy
3
: imagination

fancy

3 of 3 adjective
fancier; fanciest
1
: based on fancy : unpredictable
2
a
: not plain : ornamental
b
: of particular excellence
c
: bred especially for a showy appearance
a fancy goldfish
3
: done with great skill and grace
fancy footwork
fancily
ˈfan(t)-sə-lē How to pronounce fancy (audio)
adverb
fanciness
-sē-nəs How to pronounce fancy (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fancy

Nglish: Translation of fancy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of fancy for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fancy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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