from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Fairy \Fair"y\, a.
1. Of or pertaining to fairies.
[1913 Webster]
2. Given by fairies; as, fairy money. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
{Fairy bird} (Zool.), the Euoropean little tern ({Sterna
minuta}); -- called also {sea swallow}, and {hooded tern}.
{Fairy bluebird}. (Zool.) See under {Bluebird}.
{Fairy martin} (Zool.), a European swallow ({Hirrundo ariel})
that builds flask-shaped nests of mud on overhanging
cliffs.
{Fairy rings} or {Fairy circles}, the circles formed in
grassy lawns by certain fungi (as {Marasmius Oreades}),
formerly supposed to be caused by fairies in their
midnight dances; also, the mushrooms themselves. Such
circles may have diameters larger than three meters.
{Fairy shrimp} (Zool.), a European fresh-water phyllopod
crustacean ({Chirocephalus diaphanus}); -- so called from
its delicate colors, transparency, and graceful motions.
The name is sometimes applied to similar American species.
{Fairy stone} (Paleon.), an echinite.
[1913 Webster]