Fair
/fɛr/noun
Free from bias, unjust treatment, or hidden advantage; also pleasant or attractive.
Did you know?In Old English, related forms meant not only “beautiful” or “pleasant,” but also “peaceful” and “fitting,” showing how beauty and moral order were once tightly linked.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pek-
“to make pretty, to adorn”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*fagraz
“suitable, pleasing, beautiful”
Old English
English
fæger
“beautiful, lovely, pleasant”
Middle English
English
fair
“beautiful, pleasing, handsome; also just, equitable”
Modern English
English
fair
“just, unbiased, or pleasing in appearance”