fawn

[fawn]

See more synonyms for fawn on Thesaurus.com

noun

a young deer, especially an unweaned one.
a light yellowish-brown color.

adjective

light yellowish-brown.

verb (used without object)

(of a doe) to bring forth young.

Origin of fawn

1225–75; Middle English fawn, foun < Middle French faon, foun, feon ≪ Vulgar Latin *fētōn-, stem of *fētō offspring, derivative of Latin fētus fetus

Related formsfawn·like, adjective

Can be confusedfaun fawn

fawn

[fawn]

verb (used without object)

to seek notice or favor by servile demeanor: The courtiers fawned over the king.
(of a dog) to behave affectionately.

Origin of fawn

before 1000; Middle English fawnen, Old English fagnian, variant of fægnian to rejoice, make glad, derivative of fægen happy; see fain

Related formsfawn·er, nounfawn·ing·ly, adverbfawn·ing·ness, noun

Synonyms for fawn

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1. toady, truckle, flatter, kowtow.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for fawning

flattering, humble, cringing, crawling, ingratiating, prostrate, scraping, sniveling, bootlicking, cowering, bowing, abject, compliant, mealy-mouthed, obsequious, servile, slavish, spineless, submissive, subservient

Examples from the Web for fawning

Contemporary Examples of fawning

Of course, this could be explained by the admittedly large percentage of the audience composed of fawning film students.
James and the Giant Internet Company: Franco and AOL Get Kissy Faces
Amy Zimmerman
September 18, 2014
Between the Walters fawning and the Colbert debacle, Amaitis is fortunate only to be paying a record fine.
Las Vegas Betting Scandal Earns $5.5 Million Fine but the Boss Walks
John L. Smith
January 21, 2014
The fawning strangers ask questions like “What was it like…being shot at?”
American Dreams: The Essential Book of 2012
Nathaniel Rich
December 28, 2012
The Guardian's Luke Harding, calling Assange a "fawning" interviewer, totally missed the point.
I Love the Julian Assange Show!
Tracy Quan
July 3, 2012
Constantino Diaz-Duran on how the Golden Globe-nominated filmmaker dupes his fawning American fan base.
Is Pedro Almodóvar a Fraud?
Constantino Diaz-Duran
January 14, 2010

Historical Examples of fawning

His anger changed to meekness, and his words were mild and fawning.
Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit
Charles Dickens
Zack spoke sympathetically as the dog, fawning, came closer.
The Shining Cow
Alex James
He did not like his spells of fawning loquacity and bursts of resentfulness.
End of the Tether
Joseph Conrad
The voice of Emil Tesla, eager, fawning, had yet another quality in it.
Erik Dorn
Ben Hecht
He accused them of fawning on the rich and despising the poor.
History of the Moravian Church
J. E. Hutton

British Dictionary definitions for fawning

fawn

noun

a young deer of either sex aged under one year
1. a light greyish-brown colour
2. (as adjective)a fawn raincoat
in fawn (of deer) pregnant

verb

(of deer) to bear (young)

Derived Formsfawnlike, adjective

Word Origin for fawn

C14: from Old French faon, from Latin fētus offspring; see fetus

fawn

verb (intr; often foll by on or upon)

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)

Derived Formsfawner, nounfawning, adjectivefawningly, adverbfawningness, noun

Word Origin for fawn

Old English fægnian to be glad, from fægen glad; see fain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fawning

fawn

"young deer," mid-14c., from Anglo-French (late 13c.), Old French faon, feon "young animal" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *fetonem (nominative *feto), from Latin fetus "an offspring" (see fetus). Still used of the young of any animal in King James I's private translation of the Psalms, but mainly of deer from 15c. Color use is 1881.

fawn

Old English fægnian "rejoice, be glad, exult," from fægen "glad" (see fain); used in Middle English to refer to expressions of delight, especially a dog wagging its tail (early 13c.), hence "court favor, grovel, act slavishly" (early 14c.). Related: Fawned; fawning.