Fancy

Part of speech: adjective, noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈfæn.si/

Definitions

1. Extravagantly designed or ornate in appearance
2. Characterized by a strong preference for elaborate or lavish things
3. Appearing highly decorated and intricate in design ; showing a marked liking for things that are luxurious or decorative

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "fancy" is that its meaning narrowed from something close to "imagination" into "ornamental." It began as a shortened form of "fantasy" in Middle English, and for centuries the noun meant a mental image, an idea, or a whim, much as "fantasy" still does. The verb "fancy," meaning to picture something to oneself or to take a liking to it, grew from the same noun. The thread running back is Greek. The Ancient Greek "phantasia" meant an appearance or the act of making something visible, and it traces to "phainō," "to make visible," which shares a root with "pháos," "light." Medieval Latin then gave the word "fantasia," which passed through Old French as "fantasie." Because "fantasia" and "phantasia" were borrowed at different times, English ended up with several doublets, including "fantasia," "fantasy," and "phantasy." The shift to decorated and elaborate is the ornamental sense of imagination: something elaborate is something showily imagined. The adjective uses the same root, and the "fancy" in "fancy goods" or "fancy dress" points back to that sense of elaborate invention.

Synonyms: elaborate, ornate, extravagant, luxurious, imaginative

Antonyms: plain, simple, unadorned, ordinary, basic