pixie

American  

[pik-see] / ˈpɪk si /

Also pixy

noun

pixies plural

1. a fairy or sprite, especially a mischievous one.

2. a small, pert, or mischievous person.

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adjective

1. Also pixieish, pixyish. playfully impish or mischievous; prankish.

   pixie mood; a pixie sense of humor.

pixie British  

/ ˈpɪksɪ /

noun

1. (in folklore) a fairy or elf

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Etymology

Origin of pixie

First recorded in 1620–30; originally dialect (southwestern England) pixy, pigsy, pisky; origin uncertain

Explanation

A pixie is a mythical creature that resembles a mischievous fairy. If you spy some adorable little sprites in green pointed hats sneaking around the woods, you can bet that they're pixies. Pixies appear in folk and fairy tales from the southwest part of England, making minor mischief and dancing in groups. Today a pixie is more or less the same as a fairy or sprite, but older folktales describe conflicts (and even wars) between these groups. The root of the word pixie is a mystery — it may be related to the Swedish dialect pyske, "small fairy," but it's probably rooted in an unknown Celtic word.

Example Sentences

Viewers are more receptive to marketing messages when they serve a compelling story, according to Jonas Barnes, founder and chief executive officer of production firm Pixie USA, which made “The Golden Pear Affair” for P&G.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

“I feel like it's got all the things that you want in a Christmas film,” adds Pixie Lott, who plays Suter's on-screen wife Mary Crachett.

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025

Hays, the owner of Chihuahua-Yorkie mix Pixie, already has a contingency plan in place for Pixie’s taxidermy upon her own death.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2025

So the woman nicknamed Pixie became a signaler.

From Seattle Times • May 30, 2024

I got tucked between Styx and Pixie, our legs dangling over the brook.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• leprechaun