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PHANTASMAGORIA DEFINITIONS - 8 definitions found
PHANTASMAGORIA was my What's The Word? choice for Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008
phantasmagoria n 1: a constantly changing medley of real or imagined images (as in a dream) phantasmagoria 1802, name of a London "magic lantern" exhibition, alt. of Fr. phantasmagorie, from Gk. phantasma "image" + agora "assembly." Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003) phantasmagoria noun Etymology: French phantasmagorie, from phantasme phantasm (from Old French fantasme) + -agorie (perhaps from Greek agora assembly) — more at agora Date: circa 1802 1. an exhibition or display of optical effects and illusions 2. a. a constantly shifting complex succession of things seen or imagined b. a scene that constantly changes 3. a bizarre or fantastic combination, collection, or assemblage • phantasmagoric or phantasmagorical adjective Oxford English Reference Dictionary
English Explanatory Dictionary phantasmagoria ˌfæntæzməˈɡɔrɪə n. 1 a shifting series of real or imaginary figures as seen in a dream. 2 an optical device for rapidly varying the size of images on a screen. øøphantasmagoric adj. phantasmagorical adj. [prob. f. F fantasmagorie (as PHANTASM + fanciful ending)] Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) Phantasmagoria \Phan*tas`ma*go"ri*a\, n. [NL., from Gr. ? a phantasm + ? an assembly, fr. ? to gather: cf. F. phantasmagorie.] 1. An optical effect produced by a magic lantern. The figures are painted in transparent colors, and all the rest of the glass is opaque black. The screen is between the spectators and the instrument, and the figures are often made to appear as in motion, or to merge into one another. 2. The apparatus by which such an effect is produced. 3. Fig.: A medley of figures; illusive images. ``This mental phantasmagoria.'' --Sir W. Scott. Soule\'s Dictionary of English Synonyms phantasmagoria n. 1. Magic lantern, phantasmagory. 2. Illusive images, optical illusions. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 45 Moby Thesaurus words for "phantasmagoria": apparition, appearance, cosmorama, cyclorama, diorama, display, eidolon, exhibit, exhibition, exposition, fantasy, figure, form, georama, idolum, image, light show, myriorama, pageant, pageantry, panorama, parade, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, pomp, presence, presentation, psychedelic show, representation, shade, shadow, shape, shifting scene, show, sight, spectacle, specter, stage show, tableau, tableau vivant, vision, waking dream, wildest dream, wraith |
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