fawn

¹

[ fawn ]

noun

1. a young deer, especially an unweaned one.
2. a light yellowish-brown color.

adjective

1. light yellowish-brown.

verb (used without object)

1. (of a doe) to bring forth young.

fawn

²

[ fawn ]

verb (used without object)

1. to seek notice or favor by flattery or servile behavior:

   The courtiers fawned over the king.

   Synonyms: kowtow, flatter, truckle, toady

2. (of a dog) to behave affectionately.

fawn

¹

/ fɔːn /

verb

1. to seek attention and admiration (from) by cringing and flattering
2. (of animals, esp dogs) to try to please by a show of extreme friendliness and fondness (towards)

fawn

²

/ fɔːn /

noun

1. a young deer of either sex aged under one year
2. 1. a light greyish-brown colour
   2. ( as adjective )

      a fawn raincoat

3. in fawn
   in fawn (of deer) pregnant

verb

1. (of deer) to bear (young)

Derived Forms

• ˈfawner, noun
• ˈfawning, adjective
• ˈfawningness, noun
• ˈfawningly, adverb
• ˈfawnˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• fawnlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fawn¹

1225–75; Middle English fawn, foun < Middle French faon, foun, feon ≪ Vulgar Latin *fētōn-, stem of *fētō offspring, derivative of Latin fētus fetus

Origin of fawn²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English fawnen, Old English fagnian, variant of fægnian “to rejoice, make glad,” derivative of fægen “happy”; fain

Word History and Origins

Origin of fawn¹

Old English fægnian to be glad, from fægen glad; see fain

Origin of fawn²

C14: from Old French faon , from Latin fētus offspring; see fetus

Example Sentences

A fawn, which is basically a mammalian daddy longlegs, scrambles to its feet, falls, stands, and falls again.

From Singularity Hub 

While the Internet spent the past year and change fawning over her PDA-filled relationship with Kelly, the reality, she says, is that their bond has been much more cosmic.

From Washington Post

All over, you find people being declared by their coaches, or teammates, or even fawning journos, as “the most underrated” in the sport.

From Washington Post

They found coyotes are also helping regulate urban deer populations by preying on fawns.

From Popular-Science

On a recent Sunday, Rivera greeted regulars and fawned over their dogs as they arrived to pick up orders of a sold-out whole-roasted pig, big-as-your-head chicharrones, and arroz con garbanzos.

From Eater

Thaddeus Stevensby Fawn M. Brodie This book came out 50 years ago.

From The Daily Beast

Jack Nicholson, her co-star on The Postman Always Rings Twice, famously called her “a delicate fawn crossed with a Buick.”

From The Daily Beast

The underside, however, is different, as the extremity of the upper wings and the whole of the under wings are of a fawn colour.

From Project Gutenberg

Doggy men are freemasons, and I soon opened the conversation by speaking of the pretty fawn.

From Project Gutenberg

But he was the very opposite of the vulgar crowd of courtiers who fawn on a master while they betray him.

From Project Gutenberg

The spotted fawn, the musk-deer, gazelles and antelopes, all seemed to answer the call of the music.

From Project Gutenberg

Faster and faster Greedy Fawn stirred the boiling porridge, for it began to swell and fill the kettle.

From Project Gutenberg