phantasmagoria

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The Word of the Day for November 5 is:

phantasmagoria   \fan-taz-muh-GOR-ee-uh\   noun
    *1 : an exhibition or display of optical effects and 
illusions
     2 a : a constantly shifting complex succession of things 
seen or imagined  b : a scene that constantly changes
     3 : a bizarre or fantastic combination, collection, or 
assemblage

Example sentence:
     The phantasmagorias of artist Joan Miro convey a ghostly 
impression by showing objects free from the bounds of time and 
space.

Did you know?
     When an early 19th-century showman named Philipstal 
invented a special-effects lightshow of optical illusions that 
reminded people of phantoms and phantasms, he dubbed it 
a "phantasmagoria." He picked a term that sounds impressive (and 
creepy) and that comes from the same roots as the 
words "phantom" and "phantasm." Like them, "phantasmagoria" can 
be traced back to Latin "phantasma" ("a product of fantasy") and 
ultimately to Greek "phantazein," which means "to present to the 
mind."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.