fancy

FAN-see/ˈfæn.si/

Adjectivefancier, fanciest

Verbfancies, fancying, fancied

Noun pluralfancies

23 meanings of fancy

Practice

1
high-classadjective
Of a higher quality than the usual kind.
These almonds are fancy, the top grade you can buy.
The shop sells fancy olives sorted by size and quality.
Similarhigh-end
Oppositestandard, ordinary, basic
2
ornateadjective
Having lots of pretty decorations, often detailed or in many different styles.
Like a plain box next to one wrapped in ribbons and shiny paper.
She wore a fancy dress covered in beads and lace.
The cake had fancy icing with swirls and tiny flowers.
UsagePeople say nothing fancy for something plain.
Similardecorative, ornate
Oppositeplain, simple
3
needlessly complexadjectivecolloquial
More complicated than it needs to be.
Don't make the recipe too fancy, because simple food tastes best.
The instructions were so fancy that no one could follow them.
UsageOften a complaint: his fancy ideas are too complicated.
Similarhighfalutin
Oppositesimple
4
feel likeverbBritishtransitive
To want something or like the idea of it, like 'Do you fancy a coffee?'
Do you fancy a cup of tea?
I fancy going for a walk this afternoon.
UsageSay Do you fancy a coffee? or Fancy going out?
Similarwant
5
find attractiveverbcolloquialBritishtransitive
To find someone attractive or like them in a romantic way.
Everyone could tell he fancied her.
Do you fancy anyone at school?
UsageSay I fancy him when you find him attractive.
Similarlike
Oppositedislike
Note
6
sudden wishnouncountable
A sudden wish to do or have something, without a strong reason.
Like suddenly wanting ice cream just because the sun came out.
She had a sudden fancy for ice cream at midnight.
Buying that hat was just a fancy.
UsageSay a passing fancy or when the fancy strikes.
Similarwhim, caprice, whimsy, vagary, crotchet
7
imaginationnoununcountable
The power of the mind to form pictures and ideas.
Like a screen inside your head where you can picture anything you want.
In her fancy, the cardboard box became a spaceship.
His fancy turned the clouds into dragons and ships.
UsagePeople say a flight of fancy for a wild, imagined idea.
Similarimagination, fantasy
Note
8
skillfuladjective
Done with great skill, often in an impressive way.
She did some fancy tricks on her skateboard.
The goalie made a fancy save in the last minute.
Similarskillful, intricate, flashy, showy, deft
Oppositeclumsy, simple, basic
9
thing you likenouncountable
A person or thing that someone likes or wants.
That blue bike is my new fancy.
Old clocks were his latest fancy, and he bought three in one week.
Similarfavorite, pick, choice, passion, obsession
Note
10
mental picturenouncountable
An idea or picture in your mind, often one that is not real or not carefully thought about.
Wild fancies of dragons filled the child's head.
He drew the fancy he had seen in a dream.
Similarconceit
Note
11
overpricedadjective
Costing much more than something is really worth.
The merchant set a fancy price that few could pay.
This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great's] father to pay fancy prices for giants.
1859, Thomas Macaulay, The Life of Frederick the GreatHere, fancy means far too high, more than something is worth.
UsageSay fancy prices for prices that are too high.
Note

Less common meanings

12
believeverbdatedtransitive
To imagine something, or to think that something is probably true.
I fancy he will arrive before noon.
He fancied he was welcome, because those around him were his kinsmen.
1857, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, The Virginians. A Tale of the Last CenturyHere, fancied means thought or believed.
UsagePeople still say Fancy that! when surprised.
Similarimagine, suppose, think, believe, reckon
13
pretty but uselessnouncountable
Something that pleases your taste but has little real use or value.
Like a shiny toy that looks nice but you don't really need it.
The china cat was only a fancy, but she kept it for years.
The market was full of pretty fancies with no real use.
Similartrinket, bauble, trifle, frippery, knickknack
Note
14
colored diamondnouncountable
A diamond with a strong, unusual color.
The jeweler showed her a yellow fancy worth thousands.
Blue fancies are among the rarest diamonds.
15
small iced cakenouncountable
A small sponge cake with cream inside and icing on top.
Like a tiny cake you can eat in one or two bites.
He ate a chocolate fancy with his afternoon tea.
The plate held a row of brightly iced fancies.
UsageOften French fancies or cream fancies.
16
romantic lovenoun
A feeling of love or romantic liking for someone.
She had a fancy for the boy in her class.
His fancy for her lasted all summer.
UsageSay take a fancy to someone.
Similarliking, partiality
Oppositedislike, aversion, distaste
Note
17
showilyadverbnonstandard
In a showy or elaborate way.
He talked fancy to impress the guests.
Don't dress too fancy for a picnic.
UsageIn careful writing, say fancily.
Similarelaborately, showily, ornately, lavishly
Oppositeplainly, simply
18
breed animalsverbtransitive
To breed animals like rabbits or birds just for fun.
He has fancied rabbits for years, breeding them to show at fairs.
We fancy canaries, raising new birds each season.
UsageSomeone who breeds pigeons is a pigeon fancier.
Similarbreed, raise, rear, keep
Note
19
group hobbynouncountable
A hobby, such as breeding pets for shows, or all the people who are keen on it.
Our neighbor is well known in the pigeon fancy.
She has been part of the rabbit fancy since she was a girl.
UsageSay the cat fancy or the pigeon fancy.
Similarhobby, pastime
Note
20
nounobsolete
A short love song, often made up on the spot.
Note
21
nounobsoletein compounds
A colored scarf worn at a boxing match to show which fighter you backed.
Note
22
verbrare
To enjoy something without wanting it for yourself or being jealous.
23
nounrare
In the game of jacks, a way of playing that adds extra moves, unlike the plain version.
When you get good at jacks, try adding a fancy. A fancy is an extra round at the end of a game. It makes the game a little harder. Jack Be Nimble, Around the World, or Black Widow are some fancies.
2002, Elizabeth Dana Jaffe, Sherry L. Field

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of fancy apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–3, 6–11, 13–17, 19–21

This word is a shortened form of "fantasy." It came through Old French and Latin from a Greek word meaning to make something visible.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Fancy is a shortened form of fantasy. en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry passes through Old French and Latin. en.wiktionary.org
It ultimately derives from a Greek word meaning to make something visible. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 4–5, 12, 18

This is the verb, which came through Middle English from an Old French verb. That verb was formed from a noun.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

The verb comes through Middle English from Old French fantasier; the underlying noun is French fantaisie, not English fancy. en.wiktionary.org
The verb came through Middle English from an Old French verb. en.wiktionary.org