green fairy
1
9.6
- noun
- Slang
:
hada verde
- At the bar, I ordered a shot of green fairy, intrigued by its reputation as a potent spirit.
Examples
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Many believe that the green fairy has a mysterious allure that attracts adventurous drinkers.
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Bar Tram's specialty is serving absinthe, the strong and some say mind-altering drink that's also known as "the green fairy."
Blog text (10) -
During the party, someone brought out a bottle of green fairy to share with the guests.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a nickname for absinthe' cannot be predicted from 'green' (a color) + 'fairy' (a mythical creature), which would suggest a literal colored mythical being. This is a culturally specific, metaphorical/metonymic nickname tied to the drink's color and lore, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents is unlikely to infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Green fairy may come from the drink's bright green color and the idea that it acted like a small magical fairy that could 'inspire' artists or make people see strange things. So, the name came to mean 'absinthe'.