fairy
Americannoun
-
fairies
plural
-
(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
-
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
-
slang a male homosexual
-
informal out of touch with reality
adjective
-
of or relating to a fairy or fairies
-
resembling a fairy or fairies, esp in being enchanted or delicate
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of fairy
First recorded in 1300–1350; Middle English faierie, fairie, from Old French: literally, “enchantment, fairyland, fairy folk”; see origin at fay 1, -ery
Explanation
A fairy is a mythical, magical creature. Most fairies in stories are described as looking like tiny humans with wings. Fairies show up in fables, myths, and fairy tales, usually as kind and lovely creatures with magical powers, although sometimes fairies are mischievous or even spiteful. In the folklore of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, a fairy was actually a malicious spirit. The earliest spelling was faerie, which meant both "the home of supernatural creatures" and "something incredible or fictitious," from the Latin fata, "the Fates."
Vocabulary lists containing fairy
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.
See Examples For:
“It’s a fairy story, not a scary story,” he said at the time of release.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
“Of course the fairy tale ending was wished by all,” one commenter wrote on Facebook.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Also known as fairy penguins, they are the tiniest species of the semi-aquatic sea birds, barely reaching knee height and weighing about the same as a standard bag of sugar.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
But these narratives tell you nothing more than that Wall Street’s brokers were exposed at impressionable ages to the Goldilocks fairy tale.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Isn’t it cool? This is the original book of fairy tales written by Ella St. Clay. It’s called The Way to Rio Luna.”
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
The countless repetitions give you the most beautiful art form where swans glide, fairies dance and every year a giant nutcracker appears.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
But that came to an abrupt end after a seven-minute tirade by Sandilands on 20 February, in which he accused Henderson of being "off with the fairies" and not pulling her weight at work.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
She was alive to folklore that told of fairies and elves and the lingering dead.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
A bit further along, Perreau unveils a light green piece, created by Italian costume designer Ezio Toffolutti for one of the fairies in William Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
I always thought when Gram talked about magic, she meant fairies and fauns and forest trolls.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
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.
