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fairy

fairy

417 2.7
A small imagined being that looks like a person and has magic
  • noun
  • /ˈfɛri/
  • Literature
translation icon : hada
  • He has been having a fairy-tale year.
  • fairy tale
  • a fairy story
  • fairy godmother

The blue Fairy, like one of the fairies or a fairy.

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Examples

  • And I confronted him, and he tried to deny it, but it was definitely our Christmas tree, 'cause I recognized the fairy lights.

  • Stay away from the fairy dust, Jerry.

  • And we're going to have fairy lights all the way up the drive.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • OK let's go live in fairy land together.

  • You deserve your fairy-tale ending.

  • And this one is the lush sugar plum Fairy one just like that.

  • We can hear the fairies in the forest and the arrival of King Oberon and Queen Titania.

    Academic text (2015)
  • In an enormous forest, with real fairies as bridesmaids each holding a little elf's hand.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Ilya excelled at making up fairy tales on the spur of the moment.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The children were excited when they spotted a little fairy fluttering among the flowers in the garden.

Synonyms

elf
vsfairy
  • Literature
99 6.1

A small magical creature with pointed ears that often plays tricks

is usually more delicate and humanlike in size and behavior
pixie
vsfairy
  • Literature
33 8.4

A small magical creature with pointed ears that plays tricks

is seen as more delicate and less overtly mischievous
fay
vsfairy
  • Archaic
21 9.9

A small magical creature that looks like a person and often plays tricks

is the common modern spelling for the same concept
sprite
vsfairy
  • Literature
11 9.2

A small, playful magical creature that looks like a person

is portrayed as more delicate and gentle in appearance
fae
vsfairy
  • Literature
5 9.9

A magical being like a fairy in stories and legends

is more specifically playful and delicate in traditional portrayals
4 5.9

An imaginary being like a dragon or unicorn with magical powers

is a specific small delicate playful kind within that broad category
faerie
vsfairy
  • Literature
3 9.9

A small magical creature that looks like a tiny person with wings and often plays tricks

is the common modern spelling for the same concept
mythical being
vsfairy
1 6.5

A made-up creature from old stories or folk tales

is a particular small delicate playful example inside that wider group
faery
vsfairy
  • Literature
1 9.9

A small humanlike being in stories who can use magic and often plays tricks

is the common modern spelling for the same concept

Idioms

9.9

A phrase to say something is not important or not worth worrying about

Compounds

61 1.0

A traditional story for children with magic and strange beings

tooth fairy
  • Baby Talk
22 3.8

An imaginary person who takes a child's lost baby tooth and leaves money under the pillow

fairy tale
  • Informal
15 3.4

A made-up story told to hide the truth or deceive people

fairy godmother
  • Literature
4 3.8

A woman in fairy tales who uses magic to help someone

A woman who gives money or help when someone needs it

1 3.2

Small colored bulbs on a thin wire used to decorate trees or balconies

1 8.8

Not practical and too much like a dream

1 7.7

A ring of mushrooms that grows on grass from fungus under the ground

bad fairy
  • Literature
1 7.4

A fairy who wants to harm people or cause trouble

fairy story
  • Baby Talk
1 1.4

A story for children about fairies and magic

1 5.5

A made up story told to hide the truth

green fairy
  • Slang
1 9.6

A strong green alcoholic drink made from herbs

1 9.2

A person who is playful and dreamy in a magical way

9.9

A playful name for a man who performs in a magical and showy way to entertain people

A very small armadillo from Argentina with pale silky hair and pink plates on its head and neck

9.9

A tall plant with clusters of large pink-purple tube-like flowers and leaves poisonous to farm animals

A bright blue bird that eats fruit and sings in Asian forests

fairy circle
  • Specialized
8.3

A ring of mushrooms that grow where the fungus spreads under the ground

fairy circle
  • Australian
8.5

A round bare patch in dry grasslands or deserts where few plants grow

9.9

A small bright red mushroom with a cup-shaped body

fairy cup
  • Specialized
9.9

A small plant that comes back every year with two opposite leaves and a stem of white flowers

fairy lantern
  • Specialized
9.9

A small plant that has egg shaped flowers

fairy money
  • Informal
9.9

Money that seems unreal and people spend quickly

A small fresh water animal with a clear body and many legs that swims on its back

A domestic pigeon with blue-and-white feathers and large feathered feet

A mushroom that grows in a circle on grass

fairy-slipper
  • Specialized
9.9

A rare small orchid with one white or pink flower on a red stalk above one leaf

A plant from northern California with groups of bright yellow egg-shaped flowers

prairie fairy
  • Literature
9.9

A small magical being like a tiny person that lives on prairies and cares for plants

9.9

A friendly imaginary creature who brings good luck and paints rainbows

A plant with egg-shaped white flowers in open clusters on branched stems

How Small

pixie
  • Literature
33 8.4
fairy
  • Literature
417 2.7
elf
  • Literature
99 6.1
dwarf
  • Literature
38 7.1
troll
  • Literature
99 8.2
giant
  • Literature
153 2.3

Surface Forms

fairy singular
fairies plural

Etymology

The word fairy comes from the old French faerie, which meant 'magic' or 'enchantment', and is linked to the Latin fata, meaning 'fate'. So a fairy was thought to live in a magical world, which explains why today it means a small, magical being.