The word "dream" is spelled with five letters, but it has a complex pronunciation. It is pronounced as /driːm/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The "d" is a voiced dental stop, followed by a long "ee" sound, which is represented by "ee" in the traditional spelling. The "r" is pronounced as a tapped alveolar sound, and the "ea" in the traditional spelling is pronounced like a long "ee." Finally, the "m" is a voiced bilabial nasal consonant. Despite its complexity, "dream" is a common and familiar word that represents the unconscious thoughts and desires we experience during sleep.
Dream - (noun)
1. A series of images, thoughts, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep, typically accompanied by emotions and often serving as a source of inspiration, confusion, or fear.
2. A cherished aspiration or ideal that an individual hopes to achieve or attain in their waking life, typically involving personal ambition, success, or happiness.
3. A state or condition of mind characterized by imaginative, visionary, or fanciful thoughts, often occurring during wakefulness, wherein an individual envisions future possibilities, desires, or goals.
4. A profoundly desired or longed-for experience, adventure, or opportunity that seems improbable or unattainable within the confines of reality.
5. A person or thing that is greatly admired, desired, or sought after, often symbolizing an unfulfilled longing or yearning.
6. In psychoanalysis, the manifestation of suppressed or unconscious desires, fears, and conflicts through the symbolic images and scenarios experienced during sleep, providing insight into one's psyche and emotional state.
7. A visionary or intuitive experience that transcends reality, providing insight, guidance, or revelation about oneself, others, or the world.
8. To dream - (verb) the act or process of experiencing dreams during sleep, characterized by mental imagery, emotions, and sensations.
9. To envision, conceive, or fantasize about something desirable, idealistic, or unattainable while awake.
10. To have a deep longing, ambition, or aspiration for something yet to be achieved.
A series of fantastic, more or less coordinate ideas or images, formed in the mind during sleep.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
• Thoughts or ideas occupying the mind during sleep; a vain fancy.
• To have ideas or thoughts in the mind during sleep; to think or imagine; to see in a dream.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "dream" originated from the Old English word "drēam", which was derived from the West Germanic root "draugmaz". This root refers to deception, illusion, or joy. In Old English, "drēam" initially referred to joyful and mirthful entertainment, or a pleasant state of mind involving illusions, visions, or fantasies. Over time, the meaning of the word evolved to include the phenomenon of dreams experienced during sleep.