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FANTAST:
Say it "FAN tast."
Hear it here.
connect this word to others:
When you consider how literal fantasies and fantastic things are those that are imaginary, brought to light in the imagination—and how a fantast is a person with fantastic visions for the future—it makes sense that those words trace back to the Greek phantazein, meaning "to make visible, or to display," and further back to phainein, meaning "to show, or to bring to light."
See if you can recall two more words that also trace to phainein:
1. Something d__phan__s is thin and delicate, allowing for light to shine through.
2. Something e__phan_c is full of sudden clarity, insight, inspiration, or understanding.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "fantast" comes from a Greek one meaning "someone who brags or shows off; or someone who has visions."
We've used it in English since 1588 to mean "a person with big dreams." Often that's someone with enormous ambitions who wants to change the world.
A little more loosely, we also use it to mean "a writer or other creator with a weird, incredible, or fantastic imagination."
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Noun, the countable kind: "He's a fantast;" "She's one of those fantasts who write books you want to live in."
Other forms:
Just the plural, "fantasts."
how to use it:
When you're describing someone with impossibly ambitious ideas, or a staggeringly original imagination, and when you don't mind using a very rare word, call them a fantast.
It's most likely to be a compliment, if you're emphasizing their optimism and/or imagination. But it could be a criticism, if you're implying that they're bizarre or out of touch with reality.
examples:
"Steven Spielberg, fantast supreme, always felt manacled by movie reality. Simple live action cramped his dreamy style; the cool, superkid things he envisioned demanded techniques beyond Hollywood naturalism."
— Richard Corliss, Time, 21 December 2011
"How did it come about that we have five such unimpressive contenders for the presidency of the United States? ... The young are apparently taken with the socialist fantast Bernie Sanders."
— Joseph Epstein, Wall Street Journal, 5 April 2016
has this page helped you understand "fantast"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "fantast" without saying "dreamer" or "visionary."
try it out:
Who's a good example of a fantast? Below, I've listed some folks I think of as fantasts. They're just the first ones I thought of.
1. Walt Disney
2. Salvador Dalí
3. Neil Gaiman
4. Roald Dahl
5. Tim Burton
See if you can add someone to the list, and talk about why he or she belongs on it.
Or, focusing on any person I've listed below, talk about why you agree or disagree with me about calling them a fantast.
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is "The Words are Hard, the Titles are Silly, and the Points Don't Matter!"
In each issue, try matching a given term to a silly title. For example, match the term “desultory” to the video game title “If It Moves, Shoot It!” because desultory methods are random, disorganized, and unmethodical.
If you need a definition for a term, give it a click. Scroll all the way down to see my suggested matches. Give yourself a point for each match you make that matches my match! And give yourself two points for any match that mismatches mine, as long as you can make up some reason for your match, no matter how half-baked.
Try these today:
Terms:
A. epitomize
B. Laputan
C. scuttle
Song titles:
1. Please Don't Tell My Father That I Used His 1996 Honda Accord to Destroy the Town of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania in 2002
2. Title of The Song
3. You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd
review this word:
A. a MICAWBER (a lazy, dreamy optimist).
B. a DEFEATIST (someone who expects to fail).
C. a NARCISSIST (someone in love with themselves).
2.
On a ride in the Magic Kingdom, you'll hear the words of a fantast: "_____"
A. Now I’ve got you, Peter Pan! Better speak up, Peter Pan!
B. Man has a dream, and that's the start.
He follows his dream with mind and heart.
And when it becomes a reality,
It's a dream come true for you and me.
C. Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination — hmm? And consider this dismaying observation: this chamber has no windows and no doors... which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
When you consider how literal fantasies and fantastic things are those that are imaginary, brought to light in the imagination—and how a fantast is a person with fantastic visions for the future—it makes sense that those words trace back to the Greek phantazein, meaning "to make visible, or to display," and further back to phainein, meaning "to show, or to bring to light."
The word "fantast" comes from a Greek one meaning "someone who brags or shows off; or someone who has visions."
Part of speech:
When you're describing someone with impossibly ambitious ideas, or a staggeringly original imagination, and when you don't mind using a very rare word, call them a fantast.
"Steven Spielberg, fantast supreme, always felt manacled by movie reality. Simple live action cramped his dreamy style; the cool, superkid things he envisioned demanded techniques beyond Hollywood naturalism."
Explain the meaning of "fantast" without saying "dreamer" or "visionary."
Who's a good example of a fantast? Below, I've listed some folks I think of as fantasts. They're just the first ones I thought of.
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |