fair
/feə/- 1.
Treating people equally and honestly. A fair decision follows the rules and does not favour one side.
- The judge made a fair decision.
- Everyone should get a fair chance.
- That was not a fair question.
- 2.
Reasonable and acceptable. It can also mean average or moderate, especially in comments about quality or weather.
- The price is fair for this product.
- She has a fair knowledge of English.
- We had fair weather all day.
A public event with games, food, and stalls for buying things. A fair is often held for fun or to raise money.
- We visited the school fair.
- The village fair starts on Friday.
- They sold cakes at the charity fair.
Quite or rather, in informal English. It is used in phrases like 'fair enough' or 'fair play'.
- Fair enough, I agree.
- He played fair all day.
- She has fair few reasons to complain.
Adinary Nuance
Fair is broader than just and more everyday than equitable. Use fair for common speech and writing when you mean reasonable, equal, or not biased. Just often sounds more moral or legal, while equitable is more formal and technical.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- công bằng
- Spanish
- justo
- Chinese
- 公平
- Japanese
- 公平な
- Korean
- 공정한
Etymology
Fair comes from Old English fæger, meaning 'beautiful' or 'pleasant'. Over time, it also developed the idea of 'just' and 'equally balanced'.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is 'fair' more common than 'equitable' in everyday English?
- Yes. 'Fair' is much more common in speech and general writing.
- What is the difference between 'fair' and 'just'?
- 'Fair' usually means reasonable or equal. 'Just' often sounds more moral, legal, or formal.
- Can 'fair' mean average?
- Yes. In comments about quality or weather, 'fair' can mean moderate or okay.
- Is 'fair' a positive word?
- Usually yes, but it can also mean only 'okay' or 'acceptable', not excellent.