DEFINITIONS
The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...

fay

1
[ fey ]
/ feɪ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR fay ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a fairy.

Words related to fay

pixie, fairy, gnome, leprechaun, spright, imp, goblin, brownie, sprite, gremlin, puck, elf, spirit, hob, bogie, hobgoblin, prankster, nymph, siren, enchanter

Words nearby fay

fawny, fax, fax machine, fax modem, faxa bay, fay, fayal, fayalite, faye correction, fayetteville, fayre

Origin of fay

1
1350–1400; Middle English faie, fei < Middle French feie, fee ≪ Latin Fāta Fate(def 6)

Definition for fay (2 of 4)

fay2
[ fey ]
/ feɪ /

noun Obsolete.

faith.

Origin of fay

2
1250–1300; Middle English fai, fei < Anglo-French, variant of feid faith

Definition for fay (3 of 4)

fay3
[ fey ]
/ feɪ /

noun Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive.

ofay.

Origin of fay

3
First recorded in 1925–30; by shortening

Definition for fay (4 of 4)

Fay

or Faye

[ fey ]
/ feɪ /

noun

a female given name, form of Faith.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for fay

British Dictionary definitions for fay (1 of 3)

fay1
/ (feɪ) /

noun

a fairy or sprite

adjective

of or resembling a fay
informal pretentious or precious

Word Origin for fay

C14: from Old French feie, ultimately from Latin fātum fate

British Dictionary definitions for fay (2 of 3)

fay2
/ (feɪ) /

verb

to fit or be fitted closely or tightly

Word Origin for fay

Old English fēgan to join; related to Old High German fuogen, Latin pangere to fasten

British Dictionary definitions for fay (3 of 3)

fay3
/ (feɪ) /

noun

an obsolete word for faith

Word Origin for fay

C13: from Anglo-French feid; see faith
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