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fawn

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English

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A fawn (etymology 1 sense 1)

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English fawne, fowne, foun, from Old French faon, foon, feon,[1] from Vulgar Latin *fētōnem, from Latin fētus (“offspring, young”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suckle, nurse”). Displaced native Old English hindċealf (literally “deer calf”). Doublet of fetus.

Noun

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fawn (plural fawns)

  2. A young deer.
    Synonym: deerling
    • 2024 July 23, Lilit Marcus, “Japan may be sick of mass tourism. But the deer in this ancient UNESCO-listed city love it”, in CNN‎[1]:
      The city recently carried out a deer census, determining there are 313 stags (males), 798 does (females) and 214 fawns (babies) in Nara Park.
  4. A pale brown colour tinted with yellow, like that of a fawn.
    fawn:  
  5. (obsolete) The young of an animal; a whelp.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Adjective

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fawn (not comparable)

  1. Of the fawn colour.
Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb

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fawn (third-person singular simple present fawns, present participle fawning, simple past and past participle fawned)

  1. (intransitive) To give birth to a fawn.

Etymology 2

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    From Middle English fawnen, from Old English fagnian, alternative form of fæġnian (“to celebrate”), whence Middle English fainen, English fain.[2] Cognate with Old Norse fagna.[3] See also fain.

    Verb

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    fawn (third-person singular simple present fawns, present participle fawning, simple past and past participle fawned)

    1. (intransitive) To exhibit affection or attempt to please.
    2. (intransitive) To seek favour by flattery and obsequious behaviour. [with on or upon]
      Synonyms: grovel, wheedle, soft-soap, toady; see also Thesaurus:suck up
    3. (intransitive, of a dog) To show devotion or submissiveness by wagging its tail, nuzzling, licking, etc.
    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Noun

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    fawn (plural fawns)

    1. (rare) A servile cringe or bow.
    2. Base flattery.

    See also

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    References

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    1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “fawn”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
    2. ^ James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Fawn”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC.
    3. ^ “fawn”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

    Middle English

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    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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    Borrowed from Latin Faunus.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    fawn (plural fawnes or fawny)

    1. faun, satyr

    Descendants

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    • English: faun

    References

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    Welsh

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    Pronunciation

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    Verb

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    fawn

    1. soft mutation of bawn

    Noun

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    fawn

    1. soft mutation of mawn

    Mutation

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    Mutated forms of bawn
    radical soft nasal aspirate
    bawn fawn mawn unchanged

    Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
    All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

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