fantaisie

fantasy, whim

noun fahn-teh-ZEE Rare

Origin: Greek phantasia (appearance, imagination) via Latin

Also means

fancy, imagination

Usage Note

Fantaisie spans imaginative creativity ('un bijou de fantaisie' = a piece of costume jewellery) and a passing whim ('agir par fantaisie' = to act on a whim). In music, une fantaisie is an improvisatory composition. It is distinct from fantasme (sexual fantasy) and fantôme (ghost). The adjective fantaisiste means whimsical or unreliable.

Examples

"Elle s'habille avec beaucoup de fantaisie."

Natural Translation

She dresses with a lot of flair.

Literal Translation

She dresses with a lot of fantasy.

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