fairy

[ fair-ee ]

noun

fae plural: fairies or

1. (in folklore) one of a class of supernatural beings, generally conceived as having a diminutive human form and possessing magical powers with which they intervene in human affairs.

   Synonyms: leprechaun, pixie

2. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a gay man.

adjective

1. of or relating to fairies:

   fairy magic.

2. of the nature of a fairy; fairylike.
3. fairy green.

fairy

/ ˈfɛərɪ /

noun

1. an imaginary supernatural being, usually represented in diminutive human form and characterized as clever, playful, and having magical powers
2. slang.
   a male homosexual
3. away with the fairies informal.
   away with the fairies out of touch with reality

adjective

1. of or relating to a fairy or fairies
2. resembling a fairy or fairies, esp in being enchanted or delicate

Derived Forms

• ˈfairy-ˌlike, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fairy¹

First recorded in 1300–1350; Middle English faierie, fairie, from Old French: literally, “enchantment, fairyland, fairy folk”; fay ¹, -ery

Word History and Origins

Origin of fairy¹

C14: from Old French faerie fairyland, from feie fairy, from Latin Fāta the Fates; see fate , fay ¹

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with fairy , also see tooth fairy .

Synonym Study

Fairy, brownie, elf, sprite are terms for imaginary beings usually less than human size, thought to be helpful or harmful to people. Fairy is the most general name for such beings: a good fairy as a godmother; misadventures caused by an evil fairy. Fairy is also used interchangeably with faerie and sometimes has the plural form fae. While both fairy and faerie have been in use since the 14th or 15th century, the -ae- spelling is resurgent in fantasy writing, and the plural fae is now sometimes used as a singular: the player character is the only one who can permanently kill a fae. Modern fae are often conceived as being larger than traditional folklore fairies, and can have either kind or malicious intentions. A brownie, by contrast, is a good-natured tiny being who appears usually at night to do household tasks: Perhaps the brownies will come and mow the lawn tonight. Elf suggests a young, mischievous or roguish fairy: That child is a perfect little elf. Sprite suggests a fairy of pleasing appearance, older than an elf, to be admired for ease and lightness of movement; it may, however, be impish or even hostile: a dainty sprite.

Example Sentences

The fairy godmother is a magical stretch, but massive pumpkins are very real.

From Science News For Students

In our book, we introduce the “Switch Witch,” who comes at night to exchange excess candy for a small gift, kind of like the tooth fairy for Halloween.

From No Straight News

To be fair, before Western mermaids were made all cute by fairy tales and Disney they were feared for leading sailors to certain doom.

From Ozy

For a long time now, such experiences have been considered not very reliable, certainly unscientific, and, if valid at all, deeply steeped in that pleasant state of mind known to us from fairy tales, novels, and poems.

From Nautilus

Because in many ways that feels like the ultimate dream, it almost feels like a fairy tale, honestly.

From Ozy

But when the darkness closes in, we actually run to fairy tales and fables.

From The Daily Beast

Actually, rather like Gruber, we feel rather icky about fairy tales.

From The Daily Beast

Not that the demonstration had anything to do with this couple, whom Sarah seems to see as a fairy tale come to life.

From The Daily Beast

Were the fairy-tale true it really would shame the affluent west.

From The Daily Beast

In reality, prison weddings look nothing like the fairy tales depicted on TV and in bridal magazines.

From The Daily Beast

The tailor of the fairy tale with his "seven at a blow" is not in it with the gunnery Lieutenant of a battleship.

From Project Gutenberg

The Elizabethan pipes were so small that now when they are dug up in Ireland the poor call them 'fairy pipes' from their tininess.

From Project Gutenberg

Spenser in his Fairy Queen makes one of the characters include it with other herbs celebrated for medicinal qualities.

From Project Gutenberg

She had just come to forty-nine, and was wondering if she might remind the fairy father of his duty, when the door opened.

From Project Gutenberg

Many years ago I collected together a large number of these 'Fairy Pipes' from all parts of the kingdom.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• gnome
• goblin
• imp
• leprechaun