Other forms: imaginations
Imagination is the mind's power to see things that are not there. A vivid imagination, use your imagination, it is all in your imagination.
It covers inventing and remembering alike, since both involve constructing an image without the thing present. Some people have no visual imagery at all, which is called aphantasia and was only named in 2015 — many who have it never discover that others actually see pictures. Note imaginative; and that the Latin means forming an image.
1nounimaginationThe mind's power to see things that are not there.
“Children have wonderful imaginations and invent all kinds of games.”
imagination is a mental faculty.
Latin imaginatio comes from imago, an image. Imitate and emulate come from a related root about copying.
Latin
imāginātiō
Old French
imaginacion
Middle English
ymaginacioun
English, today
imagination
From Middle English ymaginacioun, from Old French imaginacion, ymaginacion, from Latin imāginātiō. Equivalent to imagine + ation.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA