pixie
Americannoun
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a fairy or sprite, especially a mischievous one.
-
a small, pert, or mischievous person.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pixie
First recorded in 1620–30; originally dialect (southwestern England) pixy, pigsy, pisky; origin uncertain
Explanation
A pixie is a mythical creature that resembles a mischievous fairy. If you spy some adorable little sprites in green pointed hats sneaking around the woods, you can bet that they're pixies. Pixies appear in folk and fairy tales from the southwest part of England, making minor mischief and dancing in groups. Today a pixie is more or less the same as a fairy or sprite, but older folktales describe conflicts (and even wars) between these groups. The root of the word pixie is a mystery — it may be related to the Swedish dialect pyske, "small fairy," but it's probably rooted in an unknown Celtic word.
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.
Favorites by Diana Ross and Beyoncé are held up to the roar of the crowd before pixie dust is released from the musical’s original Broadway cast album.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Cardi B sported a range of different hairstyles for her court appearances this week, including a black pixie cut one day and long blonde locks the next.
From BBC • Aug. 29, 2025
Musk’s association with his companies is like market pixie dust, which is why Tesla’s board of directors has bent over backwards to give him money he doesn’t need in an effort to keep him happy.
From Slate • Feb. 18, 2025
Cinderella, however, ruined the coronation by proving mentality is still more valuable than money, grit can still beat greed and the magic of pixie dust should never be underestimated.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2024
Samaira unzipped it and yanked out a pixie by the ear.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
