fair
fair Lexical Profile
fair Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Treating people equally without favoritism or discrimination; just and impartial in accordance with rules or standards.
"The committee reached a fair decision after listening to both sides of the dispute."
Moderately good or acceptable in quality or quantity, though not outstanding; considerable in size or amount.
"She has a fair chance of winning the scholarship given her academic record."
(Of hair or complexion) light or pale in color; blonde.
"People with fair skin should apply sunscreen regularly when spending time outdoors."
(Of weather) fine, dry, and clear, without rain or storms; (of wind) favorable to a ship's course.
"The forecast promises fair skies and mild temperatures for the weekend."
(Archaic or literary) pleasing to the eye; beautiful or attractive.
"The ballad tells the story of a knight who sought the hand of a fair maiden."
• noun
A large public or commercial exhibition where companies in a specific industry promote their products or where employers recruit job applicants.
"Graduating seniors attended the university career fair to network with prospective employers."
A public gathering held for amusement, entertainment, and the sale of goods, often featuring rides, stalls, sideshows, and competitive exhibitions of livestock or agricultural produce.
"Every autumn, families from across the region visit the county fair to see the agricultural exhibits and ride the Ferris wheel."
• adverb
Without cheating or trying to achieve an unjust advantage; honestly and according to the rules.
"The coach reminded the players to play fair and respect the referee's calls."
Directly, squarely, or completely (often used in the phrase 'fair and square').
"She won the championship title fair and square."
• verb
To make smooth and regular in surface or contour, especially by blending joints or structural lines in a ship's hull or an aircraft fuselage to reduce drag.
"The boatbuilder carefully faired the wooden hull before applying the primer coat."
To become clear and dry (of the weather, typically used with 'up').
"Once the morning rain faired up, the hikers set out along the ridge."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'fair' with its homophone 'fare', which refers to the price of a ticket for transportation, food and drink, or how someone performs in a given situation.
• Rhymes for fair
Word Origin & Etymology
The adjective and adverb derive from Old English 'fæger', meaning beautiful, pleasant, or morally pure, from Proto-Germanic '*fagraz'. The noun meaning a public exhibition or market is an unrelated homonym from Old French 'feire', ultimately from Late Latin 'feria' (holiday or market day).