phantasmagoria
/ˌfæntæzməˈɡɒɹi.ə/ · noun
Meaning
- A popular 18th- and 19th-century form of theater entertainment whereby ghostly apparitions are formed.
- A series of events involving rapid changes in light intensity and color.
- A dreamlike state where real and imagined elements are blurred together.
Etymology / origin
Borrowed from French phantasmagorie, from Ancient Greek φάντασμα (phántasma, “ghost”) + possibly either ἀγορά (agorá, “assembly, gathering”) + the suffix -ia or ἀγορεύω (agoreúō, “to speak publicly”).
- φάντασμα(Ancient Greek)→
- phantasmagorie(French)→
- phantasmagoria (English)
- Relations: bor, der
Related words
Descendant words
- fantasmagori(Swedish) (cog)
Sources
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