What does "fairy" mean?
The realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.
Fairy
/ˈfɛəɹi/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.
- Grammar: fairy is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: sprite, fey, air, ariel.
- Useful contrasts: human, mortal, mundane.
- Usage evidence: When I was a child, my mother would often read fairy tales to me.
How to use "fairy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fairy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fairy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fairy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fairy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fairy" is acting as adj, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sprite" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fairy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion. obsolete, uncountable
- 2 a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers wordnet
- 3 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. countable, uncountable
""They used to say there were fairies in that hill, I must tell you!""
- 4 offensive term for a homosexual man wordnet
- 5 An enchantress, or creature of overpowering charm. countable, uncountable
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 An attractive young woman. British, colloquial, countable, obsolete, uncountable
""When are we going to see this fairy?" demanded Algy. "You, personally, never. You're far too immoral. I might let the others look at her from a distance in a year or two.""
- 7 A male homosexual, especially one who is effeminate. Northern-England, US, colloquial, countable, derogatory, uncountable
- 8 An effeminate man or boy. countable, derogatory, uncountable
"The cripple returned the smile and stuck out his hand. Miss Lonelyhearts clasped it, and they stood this way, smiling and holding hands, until Mrs. Doyle reëntered the room. "What a sweet pair of fairies you guys are," she said. The cripple pulled his hand away and made as though to strike his wife."
- 9 A member of two species of hummingbird in the genus Heliothryx. countable, uncountable
- 10 A legendary Chinese immortal. countable, uncountable
Adjective
- 1 Like a fairy; fanciful, whimsical, delicate.
Example
"When I was a child, my mother would often read fairy tales to me."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fairy"?
Common synonyms include: sprite, fey, air, ariel, auntie, banshee.
How do you use "fairy" in a sentence?
When I was a child, my mother would often read fairy tales to me.
How do you pronounce "fairy"?
Pronounced /ˈfɛəɹi/.
Etymology
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.