fay

1
[ fey ]
See synonyms for fay on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a fairy.

Origin of fay

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English faie, faie, from Middle French feie, fee, Old French fae, fee, ultimately from Latin Fāta Fate (def. 6)

Other definitions for fay (2 of 4)

fay2
[ fey ]

nounObsolete.
  1. faith.

Origin of fay

2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English fai, fei, from Anglo-French, variant of feid faith

Other definitions for fay (3 of 4)

fay3
[ fey ]

nounSlang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive.

Origin of fay

3
First recorded in 1925–30; by shortening

Other definitions for Fay (4 of 4)

Fay

or Faye

[ fey ]

noun
  1. a female given name, form of Faith.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fay in a sentence

  • Indeed, the name of all the corresponding fays in yet current German folk-lore is connected with holy wells.

  • Some of them fancied that what appears to be a beard might after all be the hair of one of the fays or Norns, tied round the chin.

  • It was desirable that nothing ordinary should be offered, for the Fays are, as a rule, fastidious.

  • But we must beware of each step in these twilit recesses, for the fays of Brittany are not as those of other lands.

  • In them side by side with the knights and squires and ladies move fays and giants and werewolves.

British Dictionary definitions for fay (1 of 3)

fay1

/ (feɪ) /


noun
  1. a fairy or sprite

adjective
  1. of or resembling a fay

  2. informal pretentious or precious

Origin of fay

1
C14: from Old French feie, ultimately from Latin fātum fate

British Dictionary definitions for fay (2 of 3)

fay2

/ (feɪ) /


verb
  1. to fit or be fitted closely or tightly

Origin of fay

2
Old English fēgan to join; related to Old High German fuogen, Latin pangere to fasten

British Dictionary definitions for fay (3 of 3)

fay3

/ (feɪ) /


noun
  1. an obsolete word for faith

Origin of fay

3
C13: from Anglo-French feid; see faith

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012