fancier

American  

[fan-see-er] / ˈfæn si ər /

noun

1. a person having a liking for or interest in something; enthusiast.

   a fancier of sports cars.

2. a person who breeds animals, plants, etc., especially in order to improve the strain.

   a horse fancier.

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fancier British  

/ ˈfænsɪə /

noun

1. a person with a special interest in something

2. a person who breeds plants or animals, often as a pastime

   a bird fancier

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Etymology

Origin of fancier

First recorded in 1755–65; fancy + -er ¹

Explanation

Someone crazy about something can be called a fancier. If you join a club to promote the well-being of pheasants, someone might describe you as "a pheasant fancier." That just means you like pheasants a lot. The word fancier can refer to someone who fancies (or really likes) something — such as dogs or wine or chocolate. It can also be used to describe someone who breeds a particular animal, with the intent of improving the breed. Make sure you don’t confuse this word with the adjective fancy, which has a comparative form that is also spelled “fancier.” That fancier would be used in the sense of “more ornamental” or “more extravagant” — as in "My prom dress is fancier than yours."

Example Sentences

Stretch the night in one or two directions—bigger in scope, richer in ingredients or a little fancier in presentation.

From Salon • Feb. 10, 2026

Sales of fancier phones mean higher average prices.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

You can get fancier with trusts, and for that you would want to retain an estate attorney and work out the details to your specifications.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 19, 2025

If you’re after fancier threads, Ketchum’s resale shops feature many of the same designer brands represented on St. Moritz’s cobblestone streets for a fraction of the retail price.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

The real Jolly Roger is even fancier than the Wakeful Dream version.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Related Words

• aficionado