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IMAGINARY
Definition of IMAGINARY
adjective
Existing only in the imagination.
Wiktionary · CC BY-SA
Where it comes from
From Middle English ymaginarie, ymagynary, from Latin imāginārius (“relating to images, fancied”), from imāgō, equivalent to imagine + -ary. The mathematical sense derives from René Descartes's use (of the French imaginaire) in 1637, La Geometrie, to ridicule the notion of regarding non-real roots of polynomials as numbers. Although Descartes' usage was derogatory, the designation stuck even after the concept gained acceptance in the 18th century.
Etymology via Wiktionary (CC BY-SA).
Word DNA
Line of descent
- Latin
- Middle English
- English
2 recorded generations before English.
Deepest traced root
1st
of 59 source languages in OUTLIER
33%
of traced words share this origin (9,764)
branch · 33% of traced words
How it is built
Its etymology also names French.
OUTLIER scores every word on how unusual it is, and that number is not published. Working it out at the board is the game.
IMAGINARY in OUTLIER
Players have found it on 22 boards so far. 57 players have found it across Outlier's history.
It first turned up on Day 16, 5 June 2026. The most recent board was Day 135, 2 October 2026. Nobody has seen it on a board for 16 days.
First found by a player on Day 16, 5 June 2026.
Built from these letters
IMAGINARY starts with I and ends with Y. Sorted, its letters read AAGIIMNRY - the shape to hunt for when the grid is scrambled. I and A appear more than once.
Words that start IMAGIN
Its neighbours in the OUTLIER dictionary - shortest first.
Also seen on Day 16
Could you have found IMAGINARY?
OUTLIER is a daily word game. One grid, the same grid for everybody, and the words nobody else spots are the ones that pay. This word was on Day 16 - and most players walked straight past it.
Play today's OUTLIER