# fairy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfɛəɹi/ · frequency rank #6,242

## Definitions
1. The realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.
2. A mythical being of human form with magical powers, known in many sizes and descriptions, although often depicted in modern illustrations only as a small sprite with gauze-like wings, especially one that is female. Fairies are revered in some modern forms of paganism.
3. An enchantress, or creature of overpowering charm.
4. An attractive young woman.
5. A male homosexual, especially one who is effeminate.
6. An effeminate man or boy.
7. A member of two species of hummingbird in the genus Heliothryx.
8. A legendary Chinese immortal.

## Etymology
From Middle English faierie, fairie, from Old French faerie, from fae + -erie, from Latin fāta (“goddess of fate”). Equivalent to fay + -ry. Attested in English from about 1330, in King Alisaunder, first in the sense of "enchantment, illusion, dream" ("that thou herdest is fairye") and shortly thereafter "realm of the fays, fairy-land" and "the inhabitants of fairyland, collectively". The re-interpretation of the term as a countable noun denoting individual inhabitants of fairy-land can be traced to the 1390s, but became common only in the 16th century, perhaps due to reinterpreting phrases like faerie knight.

## Easily confused with
- **far** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-far)
- **fry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fry)
- **fir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fir)
- **fay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fay)
- **fire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fire)
- **firm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-firm)
- **farm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-farm)
- **fare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fare)
- **fury** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fury)
- **fart** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fart)
- **Farr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-farr)
- **Fait** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fait)
- **FARC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-farc)
- **faro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-faro)
- **Fars** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fars)
- **faith** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-faith)
- **fancy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fancy)
- **ferry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-ferry)
- **fatty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fatty)
- **fiery** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fairy-vs-fiery)

## Common misspellings (7)
`afiry`, `fairry`, `fairyy`, `faiyr`, `fariy`, `ffairy`, `fiary`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/fairy