existing in the imagination; unreal; illusory involving or containing imaginary numbers. The imaginary part of a complex number, z, is usually written Imz
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
im•ag•i•nar•y /ɪˈmædʒəˌnɛri/USA pronunciation
adj.
n. [uncountable* the + ~]]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- existing only in the imagination:imaginary monsters.
n. [uncountable* the + ~]]
- that which exists only in the mind:confusing the imaginary with the real.
im•ag•i•nar•y
(i maj′ə ner′ē),USA pronunciation adj., n., pl. -ries.
adj.
n.
im•ag′i•nar′i•ly, adv.
im•ag′i•nar′i•ness, n.
adj.
- existing only in the imagination or fancy;
not real;
fancied:an imaginary illness; the imaginary animals in the stories of Dr. Seuss.
n.
- MathematicsSee imaginary number.
- Latin imāginārius, equivalent. to imāgin-, (stem of imāgō) image + -ārius -ary
- Middle English 1350–1400
im•ag′i•nar′i•ness, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged fanciful, visionary, shadowy, chimerical, baseless, illusory.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged real.
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