fairy
Americannoun
plural
fairies, fae-
(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
-
of or relating to fairies.
fairy magic.
-
of the nature of a fairy; fairylike.
noun
-
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
-
resembling a fairy or fairies, esp in being enchanted or delicate
Related Words
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
- fairy-like adjective
Etymology
Origin of fairy
First recorded in 1300–1350; Middle English faierie, fairie, from Old French: literally, “enchantment, fairyland, fairy folk”; fay 1, -ery
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.
“It was a nightmare that came right after the fairy tale,” Johnson said.
From Washington Post
"It's not fair for it to be relegated to something that just, like, fell out of me like a magical fairy."
From BBC
Think of every female-centered fairy tale, makeover show and sitcom in which a skittish librarian type finally ditches her glasses and lets her hair down.
From Salon
Meanwhile, he adroitly intertwines the eerie fairy tale with early-20th-century historical realism.
From Washington Post
It writes academic essays and fairy tales, tells jokes, explains scientific concepts and composes and debugs computer code.
From Scientific American
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.
