imagination
UK[ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃn]US[ɪˌmædʒəˈneɪʃn]
n
The ability to form new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.
n
The part of the mind that imagines things; the faculty of imagining.
Morpheme Breakdown
image
in
ation
image
likeness
in
verb suffix
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'imagination' traces its lineage to the Latin verb imāginārī, meaning 'to form a mental picture, to picture to oneself'. This verb itself is derived from the noun imāgō, signifying a 'copy, likeness, or semblance'. The core concept embedded in the root is that of creating an internal replica or model of something not physically present. Over centuries, this literal sense of forming a mental image evolved into the broader, more abstract faculty of creative thought and conceptualization. The suffix '-ation' solidifies this process into a noun, naming the very capacity of the mind to generate ideas beyond immediate sensory input.
Analysis
Structure: image (likeness) + in (verb suffix) + ation (noun suffix)
- image: From Latin imāgin-, stem of imāgō (likeness, copy, idea). Functions as the core root.
- in: A Latin verbal suffix (as in -ināre), often forming verbs meaning "to make like" or "to act upon".
- ation: A Latin-derived noun suffix (-ātiōn-), indicating an action, process, or result.
Examples
The artist's work is a product of her vivid imagination.
Children often have very active imaginations.
He used his imagination to solve the complex problem.