fae

American  

[fay] / feɪ /

plural noun

1. a plural of fairy.

   the lands of the fae.

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noun

• faes
  plural

1. Also called faerie. (in modern fantasy fiction) fairy.

   A werewolf would never strike out at a fae, unless the pack were attacked.

fae British  

/ feɪ /

preposition

1. a Scot word for from

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Usage

What does fae mean? Fae is a Scottish preposition that means "from."English is spoken differently in different places, and the Scottish dialect (called Scots) comes with some of its own words. Example: Mary asked James, “Whaur are ye fae?” meaning “Where are you from?”

Synonym Usage

See fairy.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• faes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of fae

First recorded in 1350–1400; see origin at fay ¹ ( def. ); see also fairy ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fae faes

Zardoya’s yearning for a love lost crescendoes, and is most devastating, in the piano ballad “Back to You”; but it seems as though even her darkest, most melancholic moments are touched by the fae.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2025

There is something of the fae folk about Mae Martin, at least onscreen — the big blue eyes, the short blond fluff of hair, the nonbinary grace.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2025

In exchange for their lives, the fae are expected to refrain from flying or aspiring to be on equal social footing with humans.

From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2019

Six years before the series starts, British Empire stand-in The Burge retreated from the fae nation of Tirnanoc, leaving it in control of The Pact, a group inspired by the World War I Central Powers.

From The Verge ● Aug. 15, 2019

Ella tried to read all the labels—tarragon, fae rose, fennel, wombie gold, saffron, cinnamon, star tears—but gave up after losing her place.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Na, na, sir; in troubled times, as I understand," said Mrs. Maclure, "there's sudden changes,—Montgomery and Ferguson and mony ane mair that were King James's greatest faes are on his side now.

From Old Mortality, Volume 2. by Sir Walter Scott

Sir, I mean to gae wi' ye, man, And help ye to lounder our faes.

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume I. The Songs of Scotland of the past half century by Charles Rogers

Loudoun's bonnie woods and braes, I maun lea' them a', lassie; Wha can thole when Britain's faes Wald gi'e Britons law, lassie?

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume II. The Songs of Scotland of the past half century by Charles Rogers

The day he stude his country's friend, Or gied her faes a claw, Jamie, Or frae puir man a blessin wan, That day the Duke ne'er saw, Jamie.

From Poems and Songs of Robert Burns by Robert Burns

I lo’e weel my Charlie’s name, Tho’ some there be abhor him: But O, to see auld Nick gaun hame, And Charlie’s faes before him!

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Robert Burns

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