imaginative

adjective

imag·​i·​na·​tive i-'ma-jə-nə-tiv 

i-ˈmaj-nə-tiv;

-ˈma-jə-ˌnā-

1

a

: of, relating to, or characterized by imagination

b

: devoid of truth : false

2

: given to imagining : having a lively imagination

3

: of or relating to images

especially : showing a command of imagery

imaginatively adverb

imaginativeness noun

Synonyms

• clever
• creative
• ingenious
• innovational
• innovative
• innovatory
• inventive
• original
• originative
• Promethean

Examples of imaginative in a Sentence

She wrote an imaginative story about life on the planet Venus.

The restaurant's menu is quite imaginative.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s this idea that people who are hugely imaginative and creative can’t be good at business or about practical things. —Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

In this film, however, Lohan plays Lola, a dramatic and imaginative city girl who is forced to move to the suburbs. —Jane Lacroix, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024

Alan Adelson, Kate Taverna An artist obsessed for decades with creating imaginative and haunting structures to honor lost friends ironically lives with the continual threat of her own eviction. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024

Trying to pin down the human mental capacity of being creative or imaginative, and tie that to the human capacity of madness or hallucinating is a tough road to hoe. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ymaginatif "employing mental images, curious, inventive," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, "of the imagination, having a strong imagination, shrewd," borrowed from Medieval Latin imāginātīvus "of the imagination," from Latin imāginātus, past participle of imāginārī "to imagine" + -īvus -ive

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

imaginative

adjective

imag·​i·​na·​tive im-ˈaj-(ə-)nət-iv 

-ˈaj-ə-ˌnāt-

1

: of, relating to, or showing imagination

2

: having a lively imagination

imaginatively adverb

imaginativeness noun