Origin: 1300–50; Middle English <
Latin imāginātiōn- (stem of
imāginātiō) fancy, equivalent to
imāgināt(
us) past participle of
imāginārī to
imagine (
imāgin-, stem of
imāgō image +
-ātus -ate1) +
-iōn- -ion Related formsi·mag·i·na·tion·al, adjective
non·im·ag·i·na·tion·al, adjective
Synonyms 3. See fancy. 5. ingenuity, enterprise, thought.