noun
fairy
FEH-uh-ree
noun
1
A small, magical being of human shape, often shown with wings in folklore and fiction.
"The children left a note for the tooth fairy."
"In the story, a fairy grants the girl three wishes."
How to Use Fairy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small magical creature from folklore and fantasy stories.
When to use it
"Fairy" used as slang for a gay man is dated and offensive — avoid it in that sense.
Common pairings
fairy tale
fairy godmother
tooth fairy
Word Forms
more fairy comparative, fairies plural, most fairy superlative
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Etymology
From Old French faerie, "enchantment," built from fae ("fay") plus "-erie." Originally meant the state of enchantment itself before coming to mean an individual magical creature.