Word.ws English Dictionary

fancy

/ˈfæn.si/

fancy noun: the imagination.

Noun

fancy (plural fancies)

  1. The imagination.
    • […] But know that in the soul / Are many lesser faculties, that serve / Reason as chief; among these Fancy next / Her office holds […]1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
    • In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish’d dove; / In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.1835, Alfred Tennyson, “Locksley Hall”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 94
  2. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.
    • How now, my lord! why do you keep alone, / Of sorriest fancies your companions making, / Using those thoughts which should indeed have died / With them they think on?c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
    • Her timbers were olden dreams dreamed long ago, and poets’ fancies made her tall, straight masts, and her rigging was wrought out of the people’s hopes.1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, page 88
    Synonyms:
    conception, thought, idea
  3. An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.
    • VVhen you have vvell vievved the Scenes and Deviliſh ſhapes of this Practical Metamorphoſis, and ſcan'd them in your ſerious thoughts, you vvill vvonder at their audacious phant'ſies, vvho ſeem to hold Specifical deformities, or that any part can ſeeme unhandſome in their Eyes, vvhich hath appeared...1650, John Bulwer, “To His Honoured Friend, Thomas Diconson, Esquire”, in Anthropometamorphosis: Man Transform’d; or, The Artificial Changeling. […], London: […] J. Hardesty, […], →OCLC
    • I have always had a Fancy, that Learning might be made a Play and Recreation to Children […]1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC
    Synonyms:
    impression
  4. A whim.
    • I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.
  5. Love or amorous attachment.
    • And they’ve taken a fancy to me, Aunt said. Kitto and the others. That means they like me.1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 36
  6. Liking.
    • He took a fancy to the goods in the window.
  7. The object of inclination or liking.
    • For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself / To fit your fancies to your father’s will;c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First...
  8. Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.
    • Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot.
    • the cat fancy
  9. The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.
    • He fell out of favor with the boxing fancy after the incident.
    • […] at a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the Fancy, on a copy occurring, not one of the company but ourself knew what the mystical title-page meant.1830 September, Thomas De Quincey, “Review of Life of Richard Bentley, D.D. by J.H. Monk, D.D.”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume 28, number 171, p. 446, footnote
  10. A diamond with a distinctive colour.
  11. That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
    • 18th century, John Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving Land, cited in Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, 1755,
      London-pride is a pretty fancy, and does well for borders.
  12. A bite-sized sponge cake, with a layer of cream, covered in icing.
    • a French fancy; a fondant fancy; cream fancies
Show 3 more meaningsShow fewer meanings
  1. (obsolete) A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
    • [He] ſung thoſe tunes to the ouer-ſchutcht huſwiues, that he heard the Car-men whiſtle, and ſware they were his fancies or his good-nights, […]c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600...
  2. In the game of jacks, a style of play involving additional actions (contrasted with plainsies).
    • When you have mastered plainsies, the regular jack game, and have learned all the rules, you will be ready to use this part of the book. A fancy is a variation of plainsies which usually requires more skill than plainsies does.1970, Marta Weigle, Follow my fancy: the book of jacks and jack games, page 22
    • When you get good at jacks, try adding a fancy. A fancy is an extra round at the end of a game. It makes the game a little harder. Jack Be Nimble, Around the World, or Black Widow are some fancies.2002, Elizabeth Dana Jaffe, Sherry L. Field, Linda D. Labbo, Jacks, page 26
  3. (in-compounds, obsolete, slang) A colored neckerchief worn at prizefights to show support for a contender.
    • the yellow fancy; the cream fancy; the blood-red fancy

Adjective

fancy (comparative fancier, superlative fanciest)

  1. Decorative, or featuring decorations, especially intricate or diverse ones.
    • This is a fancy shawl.
    Synonyms:
    decorative, ornate
    Antonyms:
    plain, simple
  2. Of a superior grade.
    • This box contains bottles of the fancy grade of jelly.
    Synonyms:
    high-end
  3. Executed with skill.
    • He initiated the game-winning play with a fancy deked saucer pass to the winger.
    • It took some fancy footwork to make it happen.
  4. (colloquial) Unnecessarily complicated.
    • I'm not keen on him and his fancy ideas.
    Synonyms:
    highfalutin
    Antonyms:
    simple
  5. (obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.
    • This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great's] father to pay fancy prices for giants.1859, Thomas Macaulay, The Life of Frederick the Great

Adverb

fancy (not comparable)

  1. (nonstandard) In a fancy manner; fancily.
    • I igonored it, hurdling her navel, riding her torso and taking both her breasts in my hands and mashing them none too fancy.1970, Troy Conway, The Cunning Linguist, London: Flamingo Books, page 131

Verb

fancy (third-person singular simple present fancies, present participle fancying, simple past and past participle fancied)

  1. (formal) To appreciate without jealousy or greed.
    • I fancy your new car, but I like my old one just fine.
  2. (UK) Would like; have a desire for.
    • I fancy a burger tonight for dinner.
    • Do you fancy going to town this weekend?
    Synonyms:
    feel like
  3. (UK, informal) To be sexually, aesthetically or romantically attracted to.
    • I fancy that girl over there.
    • How can you fancie one that lookes so fierce, / Onely diſpoſed to martiall Stratagems? / UUho when he ſhal embrace you in his arms / UUil tell how many thouſand men he ſlew.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC...
    Synonyms:
    like
  4. (dated) To imagine, suppose.
    • [dated] I fancy you'll want something to drink after your long journey.
    • I fancy this is an error.
  5. To form a conception of; to portray in the mind.
    • he whom I fancy, but can ne'er express1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Seventh Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […]...
    • It was such a scene of confusion as you can hardly fancy. All the lockfast places had been broken open in quest of the chart.1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC
    Synonyms:
    imagine
  6. To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
    • We fancy not the cardinal.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
    • "Oh! I can fancy her flutter! For my part, if there be one character in the world more odious than another, I think it is a fussy woman. Lady, with Lord Cadurcis dining with her, and the new beauty for a niece, must have been in a most delectable state of bustle.1888, Benjamin Disraeli, Disraeli's Novels, page 109
  7. (transitive) To breed (animals) as a hobby.
    • I would recommend this little book very highly to anyone who fancies pigeons, novices and veterans alike.1973, American Pigeon Journal, page 159

Proper noun capitalized: Fancy

Fancy (plural Fancies or Fancys)

  1. A surname from Old English

fancy meaning in Tamil, Marathi, Urdu and Bengali

fancy in Tamil

அழகு நயமிக்க, கற்பனை, கற்பனை செய், தற்புனைவு, பகட்டு, புனைவு செய்

fancy in Marathi

फॅन्सी

fancy in Urdu

گمان, خیال, خواب, شوق, تصور, وہم

fancy in Bengali

কল্পনাশক্তি, ভালবাসা, খেয়ালখুশি, খেয়াল, স্বপ্ন, প্রেম
More languagesFewer languages
fancy in Telugu
భ్రాంతి bhrānti
fancy in Malayalam
വ്യക്തിപരമായ ഇഷ്ടം, ഭാവന, സങ്കല്പശക്തി, ധാരണ
fancy in Kannada
ಬಹುಪ್ರೀತಿ, ಇಷ್ಟ, ಅಭಿರುಚಿ, ಭ್ರಾಂತಿ
fancy in Gujarati
ફેન્સી
fancy in Odia
ଫ୍ଯ଼ାନ୍ସି
fancy in Sanskrit
प्रतिभा pratibhā
fancy in Arabic
خَيَال ḵayāl, تَخَيُّل taḵayyul, حُلْم ḥulm
fancy in Persian
خیالبافی xeyâl-bâfi, خیال xeyâl

Examples of fancy in a sentence

  • Fancy meeting you here!
  • Fancy that! I saw Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy kissing in the garden.
  • You won't get the gig just because you fancy yourself a musician.
  • Rustic females who habitually chew even pitch or spruce-gum are rendered thereby so repulsive that the fancy refuses to pursue the horror farther and imagine it tobacco […]1861 December, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, “A New Counterblast”, in Atlantic Monthly, page 700:
  • For a time she could not soothe nor convince him that it was fancy.1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia...
  • If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather fancy than know.a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn]...

All 40 example sentences with fancy

Synonyms of fancy

30 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

All synonyms and antonyms of fancy

Forms of fancy

Noun
pluralfancies
alternative form (obsolete)fancie
alternative form (obsolete)fansie
alternative form (obsolete)phancie
alternative form (obsolete)phancy
Adjective
comparativefancier
superlativefanciest
Verb
third-person singular presentfancies
present participlefancying
past participlefancied
pastfancied
Proper noun
pluralFancies
pluralFancys
alternative formYancy
alternative formYancey
alternative formYantcy
alternative formYantzy
alternative formWauncy
alternative formWauncey
alternative formWancy

Past tense of fancy: fancied

Plural of fancy: fancies

Origin of fancy

From Middle English fansy, fantsy, a contraction of fantasy, fantasye, fantasie, from Old French fantasie, from Medieval Latin fantasia, from Late Latin phantasia (“an idea, notion, fancy, phantasm”), from Ancient Greek φαντασία (phantasía), from φαντάζω (phantázō, “to render visible”), from φαντός (phantós, “visible”), from φαίνω (phaínō, “to make visible”); from the same root as φάος (pháos, “light”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂nyéti, from the root *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”). Doublet of fantasia, fantasy, phantasia, and phantasy.

From Middle English fancien, fantasien, fantesien, from Old French fantasier, from the noun (see above)).

From Old English.

Words formed from fancy

Phrases with fancy

27 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with fancy

Questions about fancy

What does fancy mean?
Fancy means the imagination.
What is fancy in Tamil?
Fancy in Tamil is அழகு நயமிக்க, கற்பனை, கற்பனை செய். See Fancy meaning in Tamil.
How do you use fancy in a sentence?
Fancy meeting you here!
What part of speech is fancy?
Fancy can be a noun, an adjective, an adverb or a verb.
How do you pronounce fancy?
Fancy is pronounced /ˈfæn.si/.
What is the plural of fancy?
The plural of fancy is fancies.

Words near fancy in the dictionary

  1. Fanconi
  2. Fanconi anemia
  3. Fanconi syndrome
  4. fancop
  5. fancruft
  6. fancy
  7. fancy ball
  8. fancy balls
  9. fancy bread
  10. fancy breads
  11. fancy Dan

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: fancy (page history and authors); Fancy (page history and authors); fancy (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); fancy (Marathi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); fancy (Urdu Wiktionary) (page history and authors); fancy (Bengali Wiktionary) (page history and authors); భ్రాంతి (Telugu) (page history and authors); fancy (Malayalam Wiktionary) (page history and authors); fancy (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors); fancy (Gujarati, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); fancy (Odia, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); प्रतिभा (Sanskrit) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this entry: “fancy.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/fancy. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.