adj
fair
FEH-uh
adj
1
Treating people equally and reasonably; just.
"The referee made a fair decision."
"It wouldn't be fair to blame her for someone else's mistake."
2
Pale in skin or hair colour.
"She has fair skin and freckles."
"He has fair hair and blue eyes."
3
Reasonably good, but not excellent.
"His chances of winning are fair at best."
"The restaurant's food was fair, nothing special."
noun
1
An outdoor event with entertainment, games, and stalls.
"We went to the county fair last summer."
"The school fair raises money for new books every year."
2
An event where businesses display and sell products.
"The company showcased its new phone at the trade fair."
"Thousands of buyers attended the tech fair in Berlin."
How to Use Fair
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTreating people equally — or, for hair or skin, pale in colour.
Common pairings
fair and square
fair skin
a trade fair
Word Forms
fairer comparative, more fair comparative, fairer comparative, faired past tense, fair plural, fairs plural, fairs singular, fairest superlative, most fair superlative, fairest superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “fair”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The referee made a _____ decision.
Etymology
From Old English fæger, "beautiful."