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fan·cy (fănsē)
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adj. fan·ci·er, fan·ci·est
1.
a. Highly decorated: a fancy hat.
b. Complex or intricate: the fancy footwork of a figure skater.
2.
a. Elegantly fashionable or sophisticated: a fancy restaurant; a fancy way of asking for a loan.
b. Of superior grade; fine: fancy preserves.
3. Excessive or exorbitant: paid a fancy price for the car.
4. Bred for unusual qualities or special points.
n. pl. fan·cies
1. The mental faculty through which whims, visions, and fantasies are summoned up; imagination, especially of a whimsical or fantastic nature.
2. Something imagined or invented by the mind: "As the fancies that kept crowding in upon him only made him more excited, he got out of bed and tried to think." (Sherwood Anderson).
3.
a. A capricious liking or inclination: I have a fancy for a glass of wine.
b. A romantic liking or interest: She's taken a fancy to you.
4.
a. The enthusiasts or fans of a sport or pursuit considered as a group.
b. The sport or pursuit, such as boxing, engaging the interest of such a group.
tr.v. fan·cied, fan·cy·ing, fan·cies
1.
a. To have a liking or enthusiasm for: fancies sports cars.
b. To have a desire or inclination for: Would you fancy a cup of coffee?
c. To take a romantic interest in (someone): Do you think he fancies her?
2. To imagine or suppose: "I fancy she is an exceedingly proud woman" (Jane Austen).
[From Middle English fantsy, imagination, fantasy, from fantasie; see FANTASY.]
fanci·ly adv.
fanci·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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