fairy

Meaning

Adj

Like a fairy; fanciful, whimsical, delicate.

Noun

1. (obsolete, uncountable) The realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.
2. (countable, uncountable) A mythical being of human form with magical powers, known in many sizes and descriptions, although often depicted in modern illustrations only as a small sprite with gauze-like wings, especially one that is female. Fairies are revered in some modern forms of paganism.
3. (countable, uncountable) An enchantress, or creature of overpowering charm.
4. (British, colloquial, countable, obsolete, uncountable) An attractive young woman.
5. (Northern-England, US, colloquial, countable, derogatory, uncountable) A male homosexual, especially one who is effeminate.
6. (countable, derogatory, uncountable) An effeminate man or boy.
7. (countable, uncountable) A member of two species of hummingbird in the genus Heliothryx.
8. (countable, uncountable) A legendary Chinese immortal.

Synonyms

elf

🧝

sprite

queer

faggot

fag

fay

nymph

poof

fagot

queen

👸

gay

pansy

spirit

homo

gnome

pixy

homosexual

pouf

faery

raver

nancy boy

faerie

goddess

angel

👼

fictitious

genie

🧞

imp

👿

invert

nance

nancy

pixie

poofter

poove

sodomite

sylph

legendary creature

magic

🪄

mermaid

🧜‍♀️

muse

naiad

barghest

gentle people

nix

fairies

fabulous

pederast

banshee

fab

enchantress

elve

Translations

fata

🧚

fée

🧚

Fee

🧚

hada

🧚

fada

🧚

fada

🧚

fee

🧚

Elfe

peri

🧚

lutin

👿

duende

νεράιδα

tante

tapette

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfɛəɹi/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: faierie

In summary

From Middle English faierie, fairie, from Old French faerie, from fae + -erie, from Latin fāta (“goddess of fate”). Equivalent to fay + -ry. Attested in English from about 1330, in King Alisaunder, first in the sense of "enchantment, illusion, dream" ("that thou herdest is fairye") and shortly thereafter "realm of the fays, fairy-land" and "the inhabitants of fairyland, collectively". The re-interpretation of the term as a countable noun denoting individual inhabitants of fairy-land can be traced to the 1390s, but became common only in the 16th century, perhaps due to reinterpreting phrases like faerie knight.