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, it’s journalists’ job to record how the president answers questions, no matter how lie-filled or abusive the answers.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
You’ve gone the opposite direction, with 90% in stocks, and, in fairness, many wealth managers have relaxed their views on those “rules of thumb.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026
"Yes, and in fairness that angle of the inquiry isn't lost on us in terms of its significance to the overall chain of events," he replied.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Price said he never intended to do anything wrong and questioned the fairness of a prosecution over what he said was essentially a paperwork error.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Sergeant Kruger was a tall and imposing fellow who treated us with fairness.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
