fairy
Americannoun
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fairies
plural
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(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
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Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a gay man.
adjective
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of or relating to fairies.
fairy magic.
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of the nature of a fairy; fairylike.
noun
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an imaginary supernatural being, usually represented in diminutive human form and characterized as clever, playful, and having magical powers
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slang a male homosexual
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informal out of touch with reality
adjective
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of or relating to a fairy or fairies
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resembling a fairy or fairies, esp in being enchanted or delicate
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of fairy
First recorded in 1300–1350; Middle English faierie, fairie, from Old French: literally, “enchantment, fairyland, fairy folk”; see origin at fay 1, -ery
Explanation
A fairy is a mythical, magical creature. Most fairies in stories are described as looking like tiny humans with wings. Fairies show up in fables, myths, and fairy tales, usually as kind and lovely creatures with magical powers, although sometimes fairies are mischievous or even spiteful. In the folklore of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, a fairy was actually a malicious spirit. The earliest spelling was faerie, which meant both "the home of supernatural creatures" and "something incredible or fictitious," from the Latin fata, "the Fates."
Vocabulary lists containing fairy
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.
See Examples For:
One of the rock spires, which are known as fairy chimneys, reportedly disintegrated at the popular open-air museum in the central town of Göreme.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Turkey's Cappadocia region, a magnet for tourists from around the world, is home to cone-shaped rock formations known as "fairy chimneys", created by ancient volcanic activity.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
There’s Cornelius, a wizard past his prime, Gurkintrude, a plant fairy, and Hans, a simple but kindly one-eyed giant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Slate film critic Dana Stevens raves, “It’s a dazzling exploration of the possibilities of stop-motion technology, as well as a classic coming-of-age fairy tale.”
From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2026
I felt a quick pain in my chest, imagining the sídhe sneaking up from their fairy ring and dragging the boy children down.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
What we have here might be an example of the Tinkerbell effect, named for the “Peter Pan” character who could be resurrected from death by audience participation, i.e. belief in fairies.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
A bit further along, Perreau unveils a light green piece, created by Italian costume designer Ezio Toffolutti for one of the fairies in William Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
A horror about mythical Welsh fairies had filming relocated to north Yorkshire after crew found out about strict non-smoking rules on sets in Wales.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
There in the forest, the models seemed at home as fairies in pajama gowns with swirling prints and pops of light.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2025
Descending from above, and charging from all directions, fairies swarmed Bahumat.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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