A state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a daydream that feels almost magical in its vividness. The mental space where imagination roams free.
From French rêverie, related to rêver 'to dream.' The word drifted into English in the 17th century, carrying with it the French romance of afternoon contemplation. It shares ancestry with 'rave,' but took the gentler path — while 'rave' became wild enthusiasm, 'reverie' became peaceful wandering of the mind.
There's something so delicious about this word — it makes daydreaming sound like an art form! You know that moment when you're staring out a rainy window and your mind just... floats away? That's reverie, and the French knew it was precious enough to need its own word. I love that we borrowed it because even languages recognize that some experiences are too beautiful to leave unnamed.
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