# imaginary

/ˌɪˈmædʒəˌnɛɹi/ (US) · /ɪmˈædʒɪnəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/imaginary
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. not real

adjective · CEFR B1

existing only in your mind or in a story, not in the real world.

For teachers: existing only in the imagination; lacking a basis in physical reality.

- As a child, she had an imaginary friend who went everywhere with her.
- The novelist created an imaginary kingdom with its own complex history and unique language to serve as the setting for the series.

### 2. mathematical numbers

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

used to describe a type of number in math that is a multiple of the square root of minus one.

For teachers: relating to the part of a complex number that is a multiple of the imaginary unit (the square root of -1).

- In this equation, 'i' represents an imaginary number.
- The student struggled to visualize how imaginary numbers could be plotted on a complex plane alongside real numbers.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun 'number' or 'unit'.

### 3. social shared ideas

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic

the collection of ideas, symbols, and stories that a group of people share to understand their society.

For teachers: the set of values, symbols, and institutions common to a social group through which they imagine their social whole.

- The book explores the national imaginary of 19th-century France.
- Scholars often discuss the 'social imaginary' to explain how modern citizens perceive their connection to millions of strangers within the same state.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized term in sociology and philosophy; learners will rarely encounter it in everyday conversation.

## Examples

- The child has an imaginary friend named Leo.
- The story takes place in an imaginary kingdom where magic is part of everyday life.
- While the characters are based on historical figures, the dialogue and specific events in the novel are entirely imaginary, serving the author's thematic goals.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.