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phantasmagoria

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(fan taz′mə gôr′ē ə)

noun

an early type of magic-lantern show consisting of various optical illusions in which objects rapidly change size, blend into one another, etc.
a rapidly changing series of things seen or imagined, as the figures or events of a dream
any rapidly changing scene

Origin: Fr fantasmagorie < Gr phantasma, phantasm + agoreuein, to speak in public < ageirein, to assemble (see gregarious): prob. infl. by Fr allegorie, allegory

Also phantasmagory

Related Forms:

phantasmagorial adjective or phantasmagoric or phantasmagorical

See phantasmagoria in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. phan·tas·ma·go·ri·as also phan·tas·ma·go·ries

a. A fantastic sequence of haphazardly associative imagery, as seen in dreams or fever.
b. A constantly changing scene composed of numerous elements.
Fantastic imagery as represented in art.

Origin:

Origin: Alteration of obsolete French phantasmagorie, art of creating supernatural illusions

Origin: : perhaps fantasme, illusion (from Old French; see phantasm)

Origin: + allégorie, allegory, allegorical visual representation (from Old French, allegory, from Latin allēgoria; see allegory)

Related Forms: