English vocabulary · C1
Envisage
/ɪnˈvɪzɪdʒ/ · v.
It means to picture something clearly in your mind. You see a future state or idea as if it is already real.
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Example sentences
- The architect envisaged a tower of glass and light.
- Can you envisage a world with no plastic waste?
Word origin and roots
from Old French
- en — into (from Old French)
- visage — face (from Old French)
Synonyms and nuances
- IMAGINE — to form a mental picture (Open & Creative)
- PICTURE — to see something in your mind (Casual & Direct)
- FORESEE — to see something coming (Predicts the Future)
Words with the same root
visage — face
- visage — a person's face or expression
- visa — a stamp allowing entry to a country
Lesson notes
Envisage. It means to picture something clearly in your mind. You see a future state or idea as if it is already real.
Similar words are imagine, picture, and foresee. Use envisage when forming a clear mental image of a future plan or result.
The architect envisaged a tower of glass and light. Can you envisage a world with no plastic waste?
From Old French. en- means into. visage- means face. To look a future into your face: that is to envisage.