That which comes from one's imagination.
"He spent hours building a fantasy world in his head where dragons ruled over floating islands."
In plain English: Fantasy is an imaginary story or idea that isn't real but feels exciting to think about.
"His fantasy was to fly over the city like a bird."
Usage: Use fantasy to describe stories, games, or ideas created entirely from the imagination rather than based on reality. It often refers to unrealistic hopes or daydreams that exist only in a person's mind.
To fantasize (about).
"She spent hours fantasizing about winning the lottery and buying a mansion by the sea."
In plain English: To fantasy means to imagine something that isn't real.
"The author spends hours fantasying about flying dragons and magical kingdoms."
Usage: Use "fantasize" as a verb when you want to describe imagining something that is unlikely to happen or creating elaborate daydreams about a specific subject. The noun form remains "fantasy," while the verb specifically denotes the act of engaging in these imaginative thoughts.
The word fantasy entered English from Middle English and Old French as a borrowing of the Latin term for "imagination." Its original meaning in Ancient Greek referred to an apparition or something made visible by light.