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fawn

1
[ fawn ]
/ fɔn /
SEE 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.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following bird names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
owl
crow
piranha
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words related to fawn

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

Words nearby fawn

favours, favrile glass, favus, fawcett, fawkes, fawn, fawn lily, fawny, fax, fax machine, fax modem

Origin of fawn

1
1225–75; Middle English fawn, foun < Middle French faon, foun, feon ≪ Vulgar Latin *fētōn-, stem of *fētō offspring, derivative of Latin fētus fetus

OTHER WORDS FROM fawn

fawn·like, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fawn

faun fawn

Definition for fawning (2 of 2)

fawn2
[ fawn ]
/ fɔn /

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

2
before 1000; Middle English fawnen, Old English fagnian, variant of fægnian to rejoice, make glad, derivative of fægen happy; see fain

OTHER WORDS FROM fawn

fawn·er, nounfawn·ing·ly, adverbfawn·ing·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for fawning

British Dictionary definitions for fawning (1 of 2)

fawn1
/ (fɔːn) /

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 forms of fawn

fawnlike, adjective

Word Origin for fawn

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

British Dictionary definitions for fawning (2 of 2)

fawn2
/ (fɔːn) /

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 forms of fawn

fawner, 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