imaginary

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪˈmæd͡ʒɪˌn(ɛ)ɹi/ UK /ɪˈmæd͡ʒɪnəɹi/ See IPA manual

Freq #8107

Meanings

1

adj
Existing only in the mind, not real.

As a child, she had an imaginary friend she talked to every day.
2

adj
In mathematics, relating to a number that is a multiple of the square root of minus one.

In advanced maths, students learn about imaginary numbers.
3

noun
In mathematics, a number of the form a+bi involving the square root of minus one.

The equation had no real solutions, only imaginaries.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · existing only in the mind,... notional

3 noun · in mathematics, a number of... complex numberimaginary number

Word family

Derived forms imaginarilyimaginarinessimaginaritynonimaginaryquater-imaginaryunimaginary

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

imaginary part
the real-number coefficient of i in a complex number written as a + bi

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English ymaginarie, ymagynary, from Latin imāginārius (“relating to images, fancied”), from imāgō, equivalent to imagine + -ary. The mathematical sense derives from René Descartes's use (of the French imaginaire) in 1637, La Geometrie, to ridicule the notion of regarding non-real roots of polynomials as numbers. Although Descartes' usage was derogatory, the designation stuck even after the concept gained acceptance in the 18th century.

ymaginarie Middle English imāginārius Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# imaginary

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈmæd͡ʒɪˌn(ɛ)ɹi/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈmæd͡ʒɪnəɹi/
**Frequency rank:** 8107

## Meanings
1. Existing only in the mind, not real.
2. In mathematics, relating to a number that is a multiple of the square root of minus one.
3. In mathematics, a number of the form a+bi involving the square root of minus one.

## Examples
- As a child, she had an imaginary friend she talked to every day.
- In advanced maths, students learn about imaginary numbers.
- The equation had no real solutions, only imaginaries.

## Derived Forms
- imaginarily
- imaginariness
- imaginarity
- nonimaginary
- quater-imaginary
- unimaginary

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ymaginarie
- Root: imāginārius

## Etymology
From Middle English ymaginarie, ymagynary, from Latin imāginārius (“relating to images, fancied”), from imāgō, equivalent to imagine + -ary. The mathematical sense derives from René Descartes's use (of the French imaginaire) in 1637, La Geometrie, to ridicule the notion of regarding non-real roots of polynomials as numbers. Although Descartes' usage was derogatory, the designation stuck even after the concept gained acceptance in the 18th century.

## AI Etymology
Imaginary comes from Middle English ymaginarie, ymagynary, from Latin imāginārius (“relating to images, fancied”), from imāgō, equivalent to imagine + -ary. The mathematical sense derives from René Descartes's use (of the French imaginaire) in 1637, La Geometrie, to ridicule the notion of regarding non-real roots of polynomials as numbers. Although Descartes' usage was derogatory, the designation stuck even after the concept gained acceptance in the 18th century. In current use, the main senses are “Existing only in the mind, not real” and “In mathematics, relating to a number that is a multiple of the square root of minus one”.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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