fandom

American  

[fan-duhm] / ˈfæn dəm /

noun

1. fans collectively, as of a celebrity, a movie, a book, or a professional game or sport.

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Etymology

Origin of fandom

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; fan ² + -dom

Explanation

Use the word fandom to talk about the community of people who admire a particular celebrity, hero, sports team, or TV show. If you are president of the Boston Red Sox fan club, you're part of the team's fandom. Your favorite boy band might have a fandom that consists mainly of screaming pre-teens, while National Public Radio's fandom is probably mostly middle aged. If you are a fan of a singer or a series of comic books, you can say you belong to their fandom. The word has been around since the very early twentieth century, from fan, a baseball slang abbreviation of fanatic, which comes from the Latin fanaticus, "mad, or inspired by a god."

Example Sentences

Yet for many guests, the experience is less about fandom and more about retreat.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

The fandom is far more curious, knowledgeable and friendly than most corners of the internet are today.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026

It is that fandom, companionship, self-expression, and immersive experiences are becoming more formalized parts of the consumption story.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

But no other business can offer luxury, maniacal fandom and nearly a century of unbroken sporting heritage, all rolled into a product that’s rarely seen but instantly recognizable on any street in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“Well, it’s all fandom stuff. I don’t make money off of it.”

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli