Standard Lemma guide

vair

noun · 2 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: /ˈvɛə/
  • US: /ˈvɛɚ/
  • US: /ˈvɛɹ̩/
  • Australian: /veː/
  • /ˈve̝ə/ without the cheer–chair merger
  • /ˈviə/ cheer–chair merger
  • Scotland: /ˈveəɹ/
  • /vɜː(ɹ)/ Lancashire, fair–fur merger
  • rhymes with -ɛə(ɹ)
  • homophone: veer (cheer–chair merger)

1

noun

Meaning 1

A type of fur from a squirrel with a grey back and white belly, much used on garments in the Middle Ages.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An heraldic fur formed by a regular tessellation of bell shapes in two colours, (for example in the image, blue and white).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: government, heraldry, hobbies, lifestyle, monarchy, nobility, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English veir, veire, from Old French vair, veir, from the accusative singular masculine form of Latin varius (“variegated”). Not related to Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“squirrel”).

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: vaire — heraldic fur
  • Czech: popeličina — heraldic fur
  • Dutch: vaar — heraldic fur
  • Dutch: vair — heraldic fur
  • Esperanto: vajro — heraldic fur
  • Finnish: oravannahka — heraldic fur
  • French: vair — heraldic fur
  • German: Feh — heraldic fur
  • Hungarian: evet — heraldic fur
  • Irish: véir — heraldic fur
  • Italian: vaio — heraldic fur
  • Japanese: ヴェア (vuea) — heraldic fur
  • Macedonian: верве́рица (vervérica) — heraldic fur
  • Norwegian Bokmål: gråverk — heraldic fur
  • Norwegian Bokmål: gråskinn — heraldic fur
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: gråverk — heraldic fur
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: gråskinn — heraldic fur
  • Portuguese: veiro — heraldic fur
  • Russian: бе́личий мех (béličij mex) — heraldic fur
  • Spanish: vero — heraldic fur
  • Swedish: gråverk — heraldic fur
  • Ukrainian: ви́вірка (vývirka) — heraldic fur