verb

fancy

FAN-see

verb

British informal: to want or feel attracted to something or someone.

"Do you fancy a coffee?"

"He's fancied her for years but never said anything."

adjective

Elaborate, decorative, or of a superior grade.

"They booked a table at a fancy restaurant."

noun

A sudden liking, whim, or the imagination itself.

"It was just a passing fancy — she never intended to move."

How to Use Fancy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDepending on use: to like or want something (verb), elaborate/upscale (adjective), or a whim/passing desire (noun).

UK vs US

The verb use meaning "want" or "be attracted to" is chiefly British — Americans would say "want" or "have a crush on."

Common pairings

fancy dress fancy that take a fancy to

fancier comparative, fancied past tense, fancies plural, Fancies plural, Fancys plural, fancies singular, fanciest superlative

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Do you _____ a coffee?

A shortened form of "fantasy," which traces back through Old French and Latin to Ancient Greek phantasia, "imagination."

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