en·caus·tic (en kôÆstik), adj.

1. painted with wax colors fixed with heat, or with any process in which colors are burned in.

–n.

2. a work of art produced by an encaustic process.

[1650–60; < L encausticus Gk enkaustikós for burning in. See EN^-2, CAUSTIC]

sur·re·al·ism (sà r"Æà lizÅÃm), n. (sometimes cap.)

a style of art and literature developed principally in the 20th century, stressing the subconscious or nonrational significance of imagery arrived at by automatism or the exploitation of chance effects, unexpected juxtapositions, etc.

[1920–25; < F surréalisme. See SUR^-1, REALISM]

fan·ta·sy (fanÆtà s", -z"), n., pl. -sies, v., -sied, -sy·ing.

–n.
1.    imagination, esp. when extravagant and unrestrained.
2.    the forming of mental images, esp. wondrous or strange fancies; imaginative conceptualizing.
3.    a mental image, esp. when unreal or fantastic; vision: a nightmare fantasy.
4.    Psychol. an imagined or conjured up sequence fulfilling a psychological need; daydream.
5.    a hallucination.
6.    a supposition based on no solid foundation; visionary idea; illusion: dreams of Utopias and similar fantasies.
7.    caprice; whim.
8.    an ingenious or fanciful thought, design, or invention.
9.    Also, fantasia. Literature. an imaginative or fanciful work, esp. one dealing with supernatural or unnatural events or characters: The stories of Poe are fantasies of horror.
10.    Music. fantasia (def. 1).
–v.t., v.i.
11.    to form mental images; imagine; fantasize.
12.    Rare. to write or play fantasias.
Also, phantasy.
[1275–1325; ME fantasie imaginative faculty, mental image (< AF, OF) < L phantasia < Gk phantas#a an idea, notion, image, lit., a making visible; see FANTASTIC, -Y3]