# phantasmagoria

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌfæntæzməˈɡɒɹi.ə/

## Definitions
1. A popular 18th- and 19th-century form of theater entertainment whereby ghostly apparitions are formed.
2. A series of events involving rapid changes in light intensity and color.
3. A dreamlike state where real and imagined elements are blurred together.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French phantasmagorie, from Ancient Greek φάντασμα (phántasma, “ghost”) + possibly either ἀγορά (agorá, “assembly, gathering”) + the suffix -ia or ἀγορεύω (agoreúō, “to speak publicly”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/phantasmagoria