imagination
UK: ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃən | US: ɪˌmædʒəˈneɪʃən
n. the ability to form mental images or concepts of things not present to the senses
n. creative thinking or resourcefulness
n. a product of imagining; a notion or idea
imagination = imag<image> + in<verb suffix> + ation<noun suffix>
- imag<image>: From Latin imago (copy, likeness, representation).
- in<verb suffix>: Latin -inare, forming verbs (here, imaginare → "to picture mentally").
- ation<noun suffix>: Latin -atio, forming nouns denoting action or state.
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin imaginatio, derived from imago (image) + -atio (action/state). It entered Middle English via Old French imaginacion, originally meaning "the faculty of forming mental images." Over time, it expanded to include creativity and abstract conceptualization, reflecting the human capacity to "see beyond the visible."
Children often have a vivid imagination, creating entire worlds in their minds.
The artist’s imagination transformed ordinary objects into surreal paintings.
Scientific breakthroughs sometimes begin with a leap of imagination.
Her novel is a product of pure imagination, blending fantasy and reality.
Without imagination, progress in technology and art would stagnate.