invisible friend
Unseen childhood playmate
An invisible friend is an imaginary companion, typically invented by a young child.
The friend exists only in the child's mind but may be talked to, played with, and treated as real: She set a place at the table for her invisible friend.
The phenomenon is common in early childhood and generally considered a normal part of development.
Adults may use the term dismissively about someone's dubious sources or unfounded claims.
- imaginaryExisting only in thought
- pretendAct as though
- make believeImaginative fantasy play
- childhoodLife's earliest phase
- childhood memoryRecalled experience from youth
only child · lonely · companion · secret · playmate · make-believe · talking · inner voice · whisper · bedroom · fantasy · comfort · security blanket · stuffed · guardian · angel · guardian angel · spirit
- imaginary friends
- pretend playmake believe, pretend, pretend play, dress-up, dollhouse
invisible friendreal person
invisible, friend, visible, invisibility, visibility, visibly, invisibly, vision, visual