fawn
1 Americannoun
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a young deer, especially an unweaned one.
-
a light yellowish-brown color.
adjective
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a young deer of either sex aged under one year
-
-
a light greyish-brown colour
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( as adjective )
a fawn raincoat
-
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(of deer) pregnant
verb
verb
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to seek attention and admiration (from) by cringing and flattering
-
(of animals, esp dogs) to try to please by a show of extreme friendliness and fondness (towards)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of fawn1
1225–75; Middle English fawn, foun < Middle French faon, foun, feon ≪ Vulgar Latin *fētōn-, stem of *fētō offspring, derivative of Latin fētus fetus
Origin of fawn2
First recorded before 1000; Middle English fawnen, Old English fagnian, variant of fægnian “to rejoice, make glad,” derivative of fægen “happy”; see fain
Explanation
A fawn is a young deer, but it's also a verb meaning to try and win favor by flattering. You might fawn over Bambi if you want to hang out with the cute and fuzzy gang. As a verb, fawn either refers to an attempt to get on someone’s good side, or, oddly enough, to give birth to a deer. If you're a human, fawning is an age-old art that might get you what you want but can be very unattractive. If you ever come into possession of a great fortune, watch out for sudden friends who want to fawn over you and shower you with presents. They probably have dollar signs in their eyes.
Vocabulary lists containing fawn
A Vocabulary Bestiary: Animals That Behave as Verbs
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"The Odyssey," Vocabulary from Part 1 of the epic poem
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Brown
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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.
None of the people involved in caging the fawn were identified, according to the release.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
He has no siblings, no schoolmates and, after the death of the only other boy within walking distance, no friends—but he has Flag, an orphaned fawn.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
This is not a preying tiger in the Indian jungle - but a happily mooching Dalmatian dog in Dagnam Park, Romford, unknowingly closing in on a days-old fallow deer fawn.
From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025
One of his favorite moves is to humiliate people who are dumb enough to fawn over him.
From Salon • Mar. 6, 2025
“How the court ladies must fawn over you!”
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
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.
