daydream
n.n. a pleasant thought or idea that you have while you are awake and not paying attention to what is happening around you. You often have these when you are thinking about something you want to do in the future.
n. a pleasant or fanciful thought that occupies the mind while awake, typically involving a desire for a different situation. Often used to describe a state of mental distraction from the present reality.
He had a daydream about winning the lottery.
She spent the entire afternoon in a daydream about her future wedding, completely ignoring the phone calls from her boss.
While a brief daydream can be a harmless escape from the monotony of daily life, a persistent one may indicate a lack of engagement with the immediate environment or a deeper psychological need for change.
From day + dream. Compare West Frisian deidream (“daydream”), Dutch dagdroom (“daydream”), German Tagtraum (“daydream”), Swedish dagdröm (“daydream”), Icelandic dagdraumur (“daydream”).