fairy godmother

noun

: a generous friend or benefactor

Example Sentences

when it came time for the girl to go to college, Aunt Edna once again proved to be a reliable fairy godmother
Recent Examples on the Web In the 1997 film, Whitney Houston played the fairy godmother. Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2023 Cinderella’s new fairy godmother. Greg Emmanuel, Essence, 3 Sep. 2021 At the camp-themed 2019 Met Gala, Roach styled Zendaya as Cinderella and appeared himself as her fairy godmother, her dress lighting up with a few waves of his hand. Conor Murray, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 Lizzo is truly the fairy godmother of TikTok. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 16 Nov. 2022 There isn’t a fairy godmother. Amy Sutherland, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Oct. 2022 So while there really isn’t a quick fix to getting rid of acne, consider a dermatologist to be your skincare fairy godmother who’s got the magic powers to clear up your acne faster than you ever could on your own. Sarah Jacoby, SELF, 27 Dec. 2021 And then…like a magical apparition, or a fairy godmother, there was Ms. Erykah Badu herself. Chloe Malle, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2023 These pieces feel like your preppy fairy godmother telling you just how to find empowerment through good clothes. Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fairy godmother.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fairy godmother was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near fairy godmother

Cite this Entry

“Fairy godmother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fairy%20godmother. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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