airy fairy
See also: airy-fairy
English
Etymology
Coined by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in his 1830 poem Lilian.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈeəɹi feəɹi/
Adjective
airy fairy (comparative more airy fairy, superlative most airy fairy)
- insubstantial
- impractical
Quotations
- 1830, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Lilian:
- Airy, fairy Lilian,¶ Flitting, fairy Lilian,¶ When I ask her if she love me,¶ Claps her tiny hands above me
References
- Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 2010, →ISBN, page 9