faerie

noun

fa·​er·​ie ˈfā-(ə-)rē How to pronounce faerie (audio) ˈfer-ē How to pronounce faerie (audio)
variants or less commonly faery
plural faeries
Synonyms of faerienext
1
: fairyland
2
: fairy sense 1
faery adjective

Synonyms

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Examples of faerie in a Sentence

in ancient folklore faeries were often portrayed as powerful beings who could wreak havoc on the lives of humans
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For instance, people used to hang iron on their doors at night to keep faeries and demons out of their homes (talismans) and a knock on the door in the middle of the night was to be ignored, for surely some evil spirit was lurking outside. — Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 The Unseelie Court is the bastion of malevolent faeries who harm humans for their amusement or to exact revenge. — Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fairie — more at fairy

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of faerie was in 1579

Rhymes for faerie

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Browse Nearby Words

Faenza ware
faerie
Faeroe Islands
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Cite this Entry

“Faerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faerie. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

faerie

noun
fa·​er·​ie
variants also faery
ˈfā-(ə-)rē How to pronounce faerie (audio)
ˈfa(ə)r-ē,
ˈfe(ə)r-ē
plural faeries
: fairy
faery adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on faerie

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about faerie

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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