fandom

American  

[fan-duhm] / ˈfæn dəm /

noun

1. fans collectively, as of a celebrity, a movie, a book, or a professional game or sport.

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Etymology

Origin of fandom

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; fan ² + -dom

Explanation

Use the word fandom to talk about the community of people who admire a particular celebrity, hero, sports team, or TV show. If you are president of the Boston Red Sox fan club, you're part of the team's fandom. Your favorite boy band might have a fandom that consists mainly of screaming pre-teens, while National Public Radio's fandom is probably mostly middle aged. If you are a fan of a singer or a series of comic books, you can say you belong to their fandom. The word has been around since the very early twentieth century, from fan, a baseball slang abbreviation of fanatic, which comes from the Latin fanaticus, "mad, or inspired by a god."

Example Sentences

It is that fandom, companionship, self-expression, and immersive experiences are becoming more formalized parts of the consumption story.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

It is that fandom, companionship, self-expression, and immersive experiences are becoming more formalized parts of the consumption story.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

And history suggests that returning is one thing, but recapturing the same intensity of viewership and fandom is another.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

As BTS takes to the stage again, and returns to Weverse, their fandom and their powerhouse performances will determine the verdict on their comeback.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

When I draw, it’s almost always fandom stuff.

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli