Etymology
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imagine (v.)

mid-14c., "to form a mental image of," from Old French imaginer "sculpt, carve, paint; decorate, embellish" (13c.), from Latin imaginari "to form a mental picture, picture to oneself, imagine" (also, in Late Latin imaginare "to form an image of, represent"), from imago "an image, a likeness," from stem of imitari "to copy, imitate" (from PIE root *aim- "to copy"). Sense of "suppose, assume" is first recorded late 14c. Related: Imagined; imagining.

Entries linking to imagine

*aim- 

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to copy." 

It forms all or part of: emulate; emulation; emulous;  image; imaginary; imagination; imaginative; imagine; imago; imitable; imitate; imitative; imitator; inimitable.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Latin imago "image," aemulus "emulous," imitari "to copy, portray, imitate;" Hittite himma- "imitation, substitute."

imaginable (adj.)

late 14c., ymaginable, from Old French imaginable and directly from Late Latin imaginabilis, from Latin imaginari "picture to oneself" (see imagine). Related: Imaginably.

updated on October 16, 2017

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Dictionary entries near imagine

imagery

imaginable

imaginary

imagination

imaginative

imagine

imagism

imago

imam

imbalance

imbecile

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