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

Then came the moment that finally bled through this barrier between the undeniably tone-deaf Hollywood fantasia and horrifying rolling news: Michael Moore taking to the podium to accept his best-documentary-feature Oscar for Bowling for Columbine and condemning the then president, George W. Bush. —Radhika Seth, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2025

Conservatives dismiss the show as a pro-government fantasia where taxation is the panacea for society’s every ill, while liberals routinely point out how it’s rooted in a white, hetero POV that’s actually, ultimately, pretty centrist. —Lizzie Logan, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2024

From tomes by landscape designers to paeans to floral fantasias by lifestyle gurus, these book releases will definitely get you in the mood for spring. —Blue Carreon, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025

Gondry expands his eclectic filmography with this rejuvenating fantasia, revealing another facet of his creativity (and confessing a certain compulsion; when Maya declines to provide a title for a next short, his reaction is priceless). —Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 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