noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈfɛə.nəs/
General-American:/ˈfɛɚ.nəs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˈfeː.nəs/
New-Zealand:/ˈfeə.nəs/without the cheer–chair merger
/ˈfiə.nəs/New Zealand, cheer–chair merger
Scotland:/ˈfeɹ.nəs/
/ˈfɜː(ɹ).nəs/Lancashire, fair–fur merger
rhymes with -ɛə(ɹ)nəs
CMU ARPABET:F EH1 R N AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The property of being fair or equitable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Some questioned the fairness of the new laws.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: equity
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The property of being fair or beautiful.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, literary, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fairhood, beauty
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
the quality of being good looking and attractive
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: comeliness, loveliness, beauteousness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: beauty
4
noun
Meaning 4
conformity with rules or standards
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the judge recognized the fairness of my claim
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: equity
Antonyms: unfairness
Broader terms: justice, justness
Narrower terms: non-discrimination, sportsmanship
5
noun
Meaning 5
the property of having a naturally light complexion
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
ability to make judgments free from discrimination or dishonesty
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fair-mindedness, candor, candour
Antonyms: unfairness
Broader terms: impartiality, nonpartisanship
History
Etymology
From Middle English fairness, fæȝernesse, from Old English fæġernes (“fairness; beauty; pleasantness”), equivalent to fair + -ness. Cognate with Old High German fagarnessi (“fairness”).
Across languages
Translations
46 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
إِنْصَاف
(ʔinṣāf)
— property of being just, equitable
Armenian:
արդարություն
(ardarutʻyun)
— property of being just, equitable
Belarusian:
справядлі́васць
(spravjadlívascʹ)
— property of being just, equitable
Bulgarian:
справедли́вост
(spravedlívost)
— property of being just, equitable
Bulgarian:
безпристра́стие
(bezpristrástie)
— property of being just, equitable
Ngazidja Comorian:
usawa
— property of being just, equitable
Czech:
férovost
— property of being just, equitable
Czech:
spravedlnost
— property of being just, equitable
Esperanto:
justeco
— property of being just, equitable
Finnish:
oikeudenmukaisuus
— property of being just, equitable
Finnish:
reiluus
— property of being just, equitable
Finnish:
tasapuolisuus
— property of being just, equitable
French:
justice
— property of being just, equitable
Georgian:
სამართლიანობა
(samartlianoba)
— property of being just, equitable
Greek:
δικαιοκρισία
(dikaiokrisía)
— property of being just, equitable
Greek:
εντιμότητα
(entimótita)
— property of being just, equitable
Greek:
αμεροληψία
(amerolipsía)
— property of being just, equitable
Hungarian:
méltányosság
— property of being just, equitable
Hungarian:
tisztesség
— property of being just, equitable
Hungarian:
becsületesség
— property of being just, equitable
Hungarian:
korrektség
— property of being just, equitable
Hungarian:
igazságosság
— property of being just, equitable
Italian:
equità
— property of being just, equitable
Italian:
imparzialità
— property of being just, equitable
Italian:
giustizia
— property of being just, equitable
Italian:
correttezza
— property of being just, equitable
Kyrgyz:
адилеттүүлүк
(adilettüülük)
— property of being just, equitable
Kyrgyz:
тууралык
(tuuralık)
— property of being just, equitable
Kyrgyz:
калыстык
(kalıstık)
— property of being just, equitable
Kyrgyz:
ак ниеттик
(ak niyettik)
— property of being just, equitable
Kyrgyz:
актык
(aktık)
— property of being just, equitable
Macedonian:
правичност
(pravičnost)
— property of being just, equitable
Polish:
sprawiedliwość
— property of being just, equitable
Portuguese:
imparcialidade
— property of being just, equitable
Russian:
справедли́вость
(spravedlívostʹ)
— property of being just, equitable
Russian:
беспристра́стие
(bespristrástije)
— property of being just, equitable
Slovak:
férovosť
— property of being just, equitable
Slovak:
spravodlivosť
— property of being just, equitable
Spanish:
imparcialidad
— property of being just, equitable
Spanish:
equidad
— property of being just, equitable
Spanish:
ecuanimidad
— property of being just, equitable
Ottoman Turkish:
عدالت
(ʼadalet)
— property of being just, equitable
Ottoman Turkish:
انصاف
(insâf)
— property of being just, equitable
Ottoman Turkish:
قسط
(kıst)
— property of being just, equitable
Ottoman Turkish:
عدل
(ʼadl)
— property of being just, equitable
Ukrainian:
справедли́вість
(spravedlývistʹ)
— property of being just, equitable
