tooth fairy

noun

: a fairy believed by children to leave money while they sleep in exchange for a tooth that has come out

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web As penance for dashing a child’s hopes, a rough-and-tumble hockey player must serve time as a genuine tooth fairy. Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2021 Stranded in a small Cajun town, a young mother battling a painkiller relapse must fight to save her daughter from a demonic tooth fairy. Vulture, 12 Dec. 2022 The tooth fairy was a lie, days are long but life is short, and dreams are harder to achieve than advertised. Grant Tremblay, Scientific American, 11 July 2022 To Lena’s surprise, Captain Josh’s letter earned her a reply from the tooth fairy. Fox News, 7 July 2022 Chrissy Teigen's daughter Luna will soon be getting another visit from the tooth fairy! Breanna Bell, PEOPLE.com, 14 June 2022 Kevin plots to catch the tooth fairy, while Randall admits to fearing the mystical creature. Amanda Ostuni, EW.com, 11 May 2022 These images alternate with confessions of childish schemes such as a habit of defrauding the tooth fairy by placing fake teeth under her pillow. Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 30 Apr. 2022 Cohen and Schumer did have a few differences though, joking about their kids' screen time and the amount of money the tooth fairy should be leaving. Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE.com, 7 Apr. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tooth fairy.' 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

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tooth fairy was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near tooth fairy

Cite this Entry

“Tooth fairy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tooth%20fairy. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!