Fairy — Defs

01 n. Enchantment; illusion.

pl. Fairies ((#))

1.
Enchantment; illusion.[Obs.]
“The God of her has made an end, And fro this worlde's fairy Hath taken her into company.” — Gower.
2.
The country of the fays; land of illusions.[Obs.]
“He [Arthur] is a king y-crowned in Fairy.” — Lydgate.
3.
An imaginary supernatural being or spirit, supposed to assume a human form (usually diminutive), either male or female, and to meddle for good or evil in the affairs of mankind; a fay. See Elf, and Demon. See: Elf, Demon
“The fourth kind of spirit [is] called the Fairy.” — K. James.

“And now about the caldron sing, Like elves and fairies in a ring.” — Shak.
4.
An enchantress.[Obs.]
“No goblin or swart fairy of the mine Hath hurtful power over true virginity.” — Milton.

Phrases & compounds

Fairy of the mine — an imaginary being supposed to inhabit mines, etc. German folklore tells of two species; one fierce and malevolent, the other gentle, See Kobold.

02 a. Of or pertaining to fairies.

1.
Of or pertaining to fairies.
2.
Given by fairies; as, fairy money.

Phrases & compounds

Fairy bird — the Euoropean little tern (Sterna minuta); -- called also sea swallow, and hooded tern.

Fairy bluebird — See under Bluebird.

Fairy martin — a European swallow (Hirrundo ariel) that builds flask-shaped nests of mud on overhanging cliffs.

Fairy rings — the circles formed in grassy lawns by certain fungi (as Marasmius Oreades), formerly supposed to be caused by fairies in their midnight dances; also, the mushrooms themselves. Such circles may have diameters larger than three meters.

Fairy shrimp — a European fresh-water phyllopod crustacean (Chirocephalus diaphanus); -- so called from its delicate colors, transparency, and graceful motions. The name is sometimes applied to similar American species.

Fairy stone — an echinite.