fairy

• faery
• faerie

From Middle English fairye, fairie, from Old French faerie, from fae + -erie, from Vulgar Latin *Fāta (“goddess of fate”), from Latin fātum (“fate”).

English from ca. 1300, first in the sense of "enchantment, illusion, dream" and later "realm of the fays, fairy-land" or "the inhabitants of fairyland as a collective". The re-interpretation of the term as a countable noun denoting individual inhabitants of fairy-land can be traced to the 1390s, but becomes common only in the 16th century.

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: fâʹrĭ, IPA^(key): /ˈfɛəɹi/, /ˈfɛəɹɪ/
• (US) enPR: fĕʹrē, IPA^(key): /ˈfɛɹi/
• (Northern England) IPA^(key): /ˈfɛːɹɪ/

• Audio (US)

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fairy (countable and uncountable, plural fairies)

1. (uncountable, obsolete) The realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.
2. A mythical being with magical powers, known in many sizes and descriptions, although often depicted in modern illustrations only as a small sprite with gauze-like wings, and revered in some modern forms of paganism.
3. An enchantress, or creature of overpowering charm.
4. (Northern England, US, derogatory, colloquial) A male homosexual, especially one who is effeminate.
5. A member of two species of hummingbird in the genus Heliothryx.

• (supernatural creature): fay, fey, fae, sprite; see also goblin (hostile)
• (male homosexual): fag (US), faggot (US), poof (UK), queen

fairy

1. Like a fairy; fanciful, whimsical, delicate.