Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An imaginary being in human form, depicted as clever, mischievous, and possessing magical powers.
  • noun Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a gay man.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Enchantment; magic.
  • noun An imaginary being or spirit, generally represented as of a diminutive and graceful human form, but capable of assuming any other, and as playing pranks, frolicsome, kindly, mischievous, or spiteful, on human beings or among themselves; a fay.
  • noun Fays collectively; fairy folk.
  • noun Fairy-land; elf-land.
  • noun An enchantress.
  • noun Synonyms Fairy, Elf, Fay; Sylph, Gnome; Jinn, Genie; Goblin. Fairy is the most general name for a diminutive imaginary being, generally in human form, sometimes very benevolent or inclined to teach moral lessons, as the fairy godmother of Cinderella; sometimes malevolent in the extreme, as in many fairy stories. Spenser took up the word in Chaucer's spelling, faerie or faery, and gave it an extended meaning, which is now commonly confined to that spelling and to his poem; the personages in “The Faery Queene” live in an unlocated region, essentially like the rest of the world, and are of heroic and occasionally supernatural powers; these personages he sometimes calls elves or elfins. In ordinary use an elf differs from a fairy only in generally seeming young, and being more often mischievous. Pope, in “The Rape of the Lock,” has given a definite cast to sylph and gnome; these two words are elsewhere often associated, gnomes having always been fabled as living in underground abodes, and especially as being the guardians of mines and quarries, while sylphs are denizens of the air. From this difference of place it has followed that gnomes are generally thought of with repugnance or dread, and sylphs, although of both sexes in literature, are popularly thought of as young, slender, and graceful females: hence the expression “a sylph-like form.” To Oriental imagination is due the jinn, djinn, or jinnee; the form genie is most vividly associated with the “Arabian Nights”: as, the genie of Aladdin's lamp; the genie that the fisherman let out of the bottle. A goblin is wicked, mischievous, or at least roguish, and frightful or grotesque in appearance. See the definitions of kobold, sylph, brownie, banshee, sprite, pixie, nixie, nymph, etc.
  • Pertaining to or in some manner connected with fairies; done by or coming from fairies. See phrases below.
  • Resembling in some way a fairy; hence, fanciful, graceful, whimsical, fantastic, etc.: as, fairy creatures or favors.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete Enchantment; illusion.
  • noun obsolete The country of the fays; land of illusions.
  • noun An imaginary supernatural being or spirit, supposed to assume a human form (usually diminutive), either male or female, and to meddle for good or evil in the affairs of mankind; a fay. See Elf, and Demon.
  • noun obsolete An enchantress.
  • noun an imaginary being supposed to inhabit mines, etc. German folklore tells of two species; one fierce and malevolent, the other gentle, See Kobold.
  • adjective Of or pertaining to fairies.
  • adjective Given by fairies.
  • adjective (Zoöl.) the Euoropean little tern (Sterna minuta); -- called also sea swallow, and hooded tern.
  • adjective (Zoöl.) See under Bluebird.
  • adjective (Zoöl.) a European swallow (Hirrundo ariel) that builds flask-shaped nests of mud on overhanging cliffs.
  • adjective the circles formed in grassy lawns by certain fungi (as Marasmius Oreades), formerly supposed to be caused by fairies in their midnight dances; also, the mushrooms themselves. Such circles may have diameters larger than three meters.
  • adjective (Zoöl.) a European fresh-water phyllopod crustacean (Chirocephalus diaphanus); -- so called from its delicate colors, transparency, and graceful motions. The name is sometimes applied to similar American species.
  • adjective (Paleon.) an echinite.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable, obsolete the realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.
  • noun A mythical being who had magical powers, known in many sizes and descriptions, although often depicted in modern illustrations only as small and spritely with gauze-like wings; A sprite.
  • noun Northern England, US, derogatory, colloquial a male homosexual, especially one who is effeminate.
  • noun paganism A nature spirit revered in modern paganism.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers
  • noun offensive term for an openly homosexual man

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English fairie, fairyland, enchanted being, from Old French faerie, from fae, fairy, from Vulgar Latin *Fāta, goddess of fate, from Latin fāta, the Fates, pl. of fātum, fate; see fate.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English fairie, from Old French faerie, the -erie abstract of fae, from Vulgar Latin Fāta ("goddess of fate"), from Latin fātum ("fate")

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Examples

  • IV. viii.12 (222,1) T. this great fairy] Mr. Upton has well observed, that _fairy_; which Dr. Warburton and sir T. Hanmer explain by

    Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies Samuel Johnson 1746

  • Unfortunately, the word fairy rhymes with St. Mary.

    Sleepwalk With Me Mike Birbiglia 2010

  • Not surprisingly, perhaps, the word "fairy tale" keeps popping up whenever the director describes his latest film, "Drive," his first venture in filmmaking outside of Denmark.

    Refn Revs Into High Gear With 'Drive' Lanie Goodman 2011

  • The wedding will be a bright spot for an institution that has had a rough time during the 30 years since Charles made that same trip from the abbey to the palace with Diana Spencer, a bride who seemed so innocent and dazzling that the TV commentators could freely spout the word "fairy tale" without being accused of using cliches.

    NPR Topics: News 2011

  • The wedding will be a bright spot for an institution that has had a rough time during the 30 years since Charles made that same trip from the abbey to the palace with Diana Spencer, a bride who seemed so innocent and dazzling that the TV commentators could freely spout the word "fairy tale" without being accused of using cliches.

    NPR Topics: News 2011

  • The back story begins with BreAnn Brown, the figure skater playing the title fairy, sitting on an intricately designed giant mushroom in the middle of the ice.

    Victorville Daily Press : By JACOB NELSON 2009

  • In June, officials brought back the city mascot, Miyary—a fairy in a crown of flowers whose name is derived from Utsunomiya and the word "fairy"—and launched an official blog featuring the character at various local events.

    City in Japan Tries New Tack on Old Problem Mariko Sanchanta 2011

  • WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And happening now: Bill Clinton returns to what he calls a fairy tale.

    CNN Transcript Jan 11, 2008 2008

  • And coming up in the second half of RELIABLE SOURCES, Bill Clinton blasts the press for perpetuating what he calls a fairy tale.

    CNN Transcript Jan 13, 2008 2008

  • Then he is what they call a fairy man, a person in league with fairies and spirits, and able to work much harm by supernatural means, on which account they hold him in great awe; he is, moreover, a mighty strong and tall fellow.

    Lavengro 2004

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  • FAirY

    May 17, 2008