Skip to the word

Added 7 October 2026

fair

/ˈfɛə/ adjective

In Latin: pulcher, formōsus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about fair at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.
Monday's child is fair of face.
Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.
one's fair name
Light in color, pale, particularly with regard to skin tone but also referring to blond and red hair.
She had fair hair and blue eyes.

noun

Something which is fair (in various senses of the adjective).
When will we learn to distinguish between the fair and the foul?
A woman, a member of the ‘fair sex’; also as a collective singular, women.
Fairness, beauty.

verb

To smoothen or even a surface (especially a connection or junction on a surface).
To bring into perfect alignment (especially about rivet holes when connecting structural members).
To make an animation smooth, removing any jerkiness.

adverb

Clearly, openly, frankly, civilly, honestly, favorably, auspiciously, agreeably.
Almost; to a great extent but not literally.

Origin

From Middle English fayr, from Old English fæġer (“beautiful”), from Proto-West Germanic *fagr, from Proto-Germanic *fagraz (“appropriate, fitting, nice, suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ḱ- (“to attach, join; agreement, settlement”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word