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Definition of 'fairy'

Word Frequency

fairy

(feəri )
Word forms: plural fairies
1. countable noun
A fairy is an imaginary creature with magical powers. Fairies are often represented as small people with wings.
Synonyms: sprite, elf, brownie, hob   More Synonyms of fairy
2. countable noun
If someone describes a man as a fairy, they mean that he is a homosexual and they disapprove of this.
[offensive, old-fashioned, disapproval]
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency

fairy in British

(ˈfɛərɪ )
nounWord forms: plural fairies
1. 
an imaginary supernatural being, usually represented in diminutive human form and characterized as clever, playful, and having magical powers
2. slang, offensive
a male homosexual
3.  away with the fairies
adjective (prenominal)
4. 
of or relating to a fairy or fairies
5. 
resembling a fairy or fairies, esp in being enchanted or delicate
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
fairy-like (ˈfairy-ˌlike)
  adjective
Word origin of 'fairy'
C14: from Old French faerie fairyland, from feie fairy, from Latin Fāta the Fates; see fate, fay1
Word Frequency

fairy in American

(ˈfɛri ; ferˈē)
nounWord forms: plural ˈfairies
1. 
an imaginary being usually in human form and supposed to have magic powers, specif. one that is tiny, graceful, and delicate
2.  Slang
a male homosexual
term of contempt or derision
adjective
3. 
of fairies
4. 
fairylike; graceful; delicate
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
fairylike (ˈfairyˌlike)
  adjective
Word origin of 'fairy'
ME, fairyland, fairy < OFr faerie < fée: see fay1

Word Lists

Mythological creatures, Supernatural creatures

Trends of 'fairy'

In Common Usage. fairy is one of the 10000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Translations for 'fairy'

British English: fairy /ˈfɛərɪ/ NOUN
A fairy is an imaginary creature with magical powers.
  • American English: fairy
  • Arabic: جِنِّيَّة
  • Brazilian Portuguese: fada
  • Chinese: 仙女
  • Croatian: vila
  • Czech: víla
  • Danish: fe
  • Dutch: fee
  • European Spanish: hada
  • Finnish: keijukainen
  • French: fée
  • German: Fee
  • Greek: νεράιδα
  • Italian: fata
  • Japanese: 妖精
  • Korean: 요정 꼬마요정
  • Norwegian: fe
  • Polish: duszek
  • European Portuguese: fada
  • Romanian: zână
  • Russian: фея
  • Spanish: hada
  • Swedish: älva
  • Thai: นางฟ้า
  • Turkish: peri
  • Ukrainian: фея
  • Vietnamese: tiên

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Nearby words of 'fairy'

  • fairnyticle
  • fairway
  • Fairweather
  • fairy
  • fairy armadillo
  • fairy bluebird
  • fairy bread

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'F'

Related Terms of 'fairy'

  • airy-fairy
  • fairy bread
  • fairy cycle
  • fairy queen
  • fairy ring

  • View more related words

Source

Definition of fairy from the Collins English Dictionary

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Scrabble score for 'fairy': 11
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