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

The 19-year-old New York City native’s latest single contains a cinematic quality thanks to its use of strings and far-reaching harmonies, and its nostalgia-heavy music video (directed by her sister, Olivia Bond) certainly leans into the fantasia that the song creates. —Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 7 Feb. 2025

Folie à Deux will be a musical fantasia starring pop icon Lady Gaga opposite Phoenix’s Joker. —Zoe Guy, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2024

That’s because the ultra-rich have decamped to a suburban fantasia constructed in an unusual location. —Gqlshare, Baltimore Sun, 29 Jan. 2025

For perhaps the first time in his career, Lynch was able to go as far as the road would take him, throwing all of his skills as a filmmaker, sound designer, musician, visual artist, and human being at the wall in a dark fantasia of mystery, comedy, horror, and violence. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 19 Jan. 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