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The Fanatical Origin of Fan
There are a good number of etymological myths in the English language, stories about the origins of words (such as the widespread notion that posh originated as an acronym for “port out, starboard home”) which are, to put it kindly, inaccurate. But this does not mean that every vivid account of linguistic origin is fictitious. Many words, such as fan, do have colorful backstories.
Fan is generally–and very likely correctly–believed to be a shortened form of fanatic. The origin of fanatic (which can be traced back to the Latin word fanum, meaning “sanctuary, temple”) is less often commented on. In English, fan made an early appearance in the late 17th century only to disappear for two centuries, resurfacing in the late 19th century. In this later period of use, it often referred to the devoted observers of, or participants in, a sport. An 1885 article from The Kansas City Times, for example, contains the line “The base ball ‘fans’ of the ploice [sic] force and fire department engage in a ball game.”
Synonyms
Verb
Noun (2)
Examples of fan in a Sentence
Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024
Seeing thousands of fans jump up and down, mosh and squeeze up against the barricade to sing along live aren’t moments lost on these guys, either.
—Kelli Fadroski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 May 2024
Watching Favorite Soccer Team amid Kate's Cancer Treatment William, meanwhile, is a regular at the FA Cup final and is a passionate soccer fan.
—Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 24 May 2024
The company is accused of using tactics that have resulted in higher prices and a worse experience for artists and fans alike.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 24 May 2024
Our growth comes from helping artists tour globally, creating lasting memories for millions of fans, and supporting local economies across the country by sustaining quality jobs.
—EW.com, 23 May 2024
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York, accuses the company of creating a monopoly over the live entertainment market that has harmed music fans, artists and promoters around the United States through higher prices and frustrating consumer experiences.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 23 May 2024
Typically, following the conclusion of Hornets’ games, security has barricades in place outside the loading dock area to keep pedestrians and fans at bay, particularly when a car is leaving.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 23 May 2024
The company said its site was overwhelmed by both fans and attacks from bots, which were posing as consumers to scoop up tickets and sell them on secondary sites.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2024
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 May 2024
Attention, Michael Kors fans: The beloved designer wants to remind sweltering residents that summer is on its way.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 23 May 2024
The partnership between an iconic beer company and a trans woman had already prompted a right-wing boycott of the beer maker, and Ritchie’s stunt fanned the flames.
—David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2024
But he was immediately shocked by the landscape of the West Bank: settlers acting with impunity, a police force that was essentially nonexistent outside the settlements and the Israeli Army fanning the tensions with its own operations.
—Mark Mazzetti Jonathan Davis Anna Diamond David Mason, New York Times, 16 May 2024
The constant beat of social media, and its viral spread, would only fan the flames.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 15 May 2024
At 100 pitches starting the seventh, the first batter, Chris Daniels, reached on an error, but O’Donnell fanned the next batter before being removed for Logan Harkleroad.
—Craig J. Clary, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2024
A little ways past the protest, graduates gathered with family and friends, fanning themselves with programs in the heat of a sunny Berkeley afternoon.
—Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 11 May 2024
Late spring winds whipped through Southern California over the weekend and fanned multiple brush fires while also dashing the hopes of music festival-goers in Redondo Beach.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fan
Cite this Entry
“Fan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fan. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fan
2 of 3 verbfan
3 of 3 nounNoun
Old English fann "fan," from Latin vannus "fan"
Noun
probably a shortened form of fanatic
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