fair

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   without favoring one party, in a fair evenhanded manner

   deal fairly with one another

2. 2
   adv

   in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating

   they played fairly

3. 3
   adj

   of hair or skin, pale or light-colored

   The child had a fair complexion.

4. 4
   adj

   free of clouds or rain

   today will be fair and warm

5. 5
   adj

   in baseball, hit between the foul lines

   I hit a fair ball over the third base bag.

6. 6
   adj

   a manuscript with few alterations or corrections

   They incorporated the editor's suggestions and produced a fair copy.

7. 7
   adj

   not excessive or extreme

   a fairish income

8. 8
   noun

   a competitive exhibition of farm products

   I won a blue ribbon for my baking at the county fair.

Etymology

From Middle English fayr, feir, fager, from Old English fæġer (“beautiful”), from Proto-West Germanic *fagr, from Proto-Germanic *fagraz (“suitable, fitting, nice”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ḱ- (“to fasten, place”). Cognate with Scots fayr, fare (“fair”), Danish feir, faver, fager (“fair, pretty”), Norwegian fager (“fair, pretty”), Swedish fager (“fair, pretty”), Icelandic fagur (“beautiful, fair”), Umbrian pacer (“gracious, merciful, kind”), Slovak pekný (“good-looking, handsome, nice”). See also peace.