fairness
Americannoun
-
the state, condition, or quality of being fair, or free from bias or injustice; evenhandedness.
I have to admit, in all fairness, that she would only be paid for part of the work.
-
the quality of being light of hair or complexion.
Due to the fairness of her skin, she had to wear extra sunscreen even in the winter.
One of the traits that he got from his father was the fairness of his hair.
Etymology
Origin of fairness
Explanation
Fairness is the quality of making judgments that are free from discrimination. Judges, umpires, and teachers should all strive to practice fairness. Fairness comes from the Old English fæger, meaning "pleasing, attractive." This makes sense given that the word is also used to describe physical beauty. Fairness can refer to someone's good looks, or if someone is very pale and blond, you might notice the fairness of her complexion. When someone shows fairness is making a decision, he is pleasing all parties involved and offering a solution that is attractive to everyone.
Vocabulary lists containing fairness
Journalism
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The Suffix -ness, Part 2
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"CLEP Principles of Management," Vocabulary from Chapter 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But there’s another side of this that often gets overlooked — which, in fairness, you did address somewhat in your answer.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
In fairness, the Dodgers cannot win on pitching alone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
"My attempt to take a shortcut was disrespectful to the fairness of the competition and the spirit of the marathon."
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
In fairness, Roberts did seem to recognize some problems with the breadth of the immunity that the oil companies were asking for, as did Justice Gorsuch.
From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026
When she thought about it that way, that talking to Clara was about justice and fairness, the bucket she heaved up the narrow staircase to the dusty, disused attic didn’t seem quite so heavy.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
