fawn

¹ American  

[fawn] / fɔn /

noun

1. a young deer, especially an unweaned one.

2. a light yellowish-brown color.

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adjective

1. light yellowish-brown.

verb (used without object)

1. (of a doe) to bring forth young.

fawn ² American  

[fawn] / fɔn /

verb (used without object)

1. to seek notice or favor by flattery or servile behavior.

   The courtiers fawned over the king.

   Synonyms:

   kowtow , flatter , truckle , toady

2. (of a dog) to behave affectionately.

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fawn ¹ British  

/ fɔːn /

noun

1. a young deer of either sex aged under one year

2. 1. a light greyish-brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a fawn raincoat

3. (of deer) pregnant

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verb

1. (of deer) to bear (young)

fawn ² British  

/ fɔːn /

verb

1. to seek attention and admiration (from) by cringing and flattering

2. (of animals, esp dogs) to try to please by a show of extreme friendliness and fondness (towards)

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Other Word Forms

• fawner noun
• fawning adjective
• fawningly adverb
• fawningness noun
• fawnlike adjective

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”; fain

Example Sentences

Is it a parable about the dangers posed by artificial intelligence and the fawning tendencies of large language models?

From Salon

Each of these and the many, many others of the same ilk were fawned on by media supporters.

From Seattle Times

Even if the instructor genuinely hadn’t realized his habit of fawning exclusively over female clients 10 years younger was out of line, he would know better from that point on.

From Washington Post

My heart still leaps when I see a spotted fawn.

From Washington Post

George Orwell, a man of the left himself, was revolted by the servile manner in which many Western intellectuals fawned over Joseph Stalin, one of the most disgusting murderers in history.

From Salon

Related Words

• crouch
• grovel