Main Entry:

¹fan

Pronunciation:

\ˈfan\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English fann, from Latin vannus — more at winnow

Date:

before 12th century

1: any of various devices for winnowing grain2: an instrument for producing a current of air: as a: a device that is held in the hand and moved back and forth to cool a person and that is usually shaped like a segment of a circle and composed of material (as feathers or paper) mounted on thin rods or slats moving about a pivot so that the device may be closed compactly when not in use b: a device that consists of a series of vanes radiating from a hub rotated on its axle by a motor cslang : an airplane propeller 3 a: something resembling an open fan b: a gently sloping fan-shaped body of detritus ; especially : alluvial fan

— fan·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective