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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"CLEP Principles of Management," Vocabulary from Chapter 6
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The Suffix -ness, Part 2
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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.
In fairness, Mr. Trump succeeded in pressing China to free a jailed Christian pastor, Ezra Jin, whose children are U.S. citizens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
But in fairness to the state party, which had to create this process on the fly, Platner’s implosion left no good options.
From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026
But now "even in sport - where fairness should matter more than anything else - we've watched football administrators ignore that principle. People can no longer accept that."
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
“In practice, that could mean focusing resources on proven reading and math instruction, increasing transparency, fostering increased parental involvement, protecting fairness and safety for girls in sports,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
In fairness to Aberforth, it must be admitted that living in Albus’s shadow cannot have been an altogether comfortable experience.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions 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.
