fey

fey — adjective

1. having a quality that is eerie, magical, or not of this world, as if connected t

1.形容詞C1
釋義

having a quality that is eerie, magical, or not of this world, as if connected to spirits or fairies — often describing a person's appearance, voice, or the atmosphere of a place.

例句

The elderly woman spoke in a fey voice about visions of the forest spirits.

fey + voice describing mystical speech

Imran felt a fey atmosphere in the old castle garden at twilight.

fey + atmosphere for place description

同義詞
  • ethereal

    suggests delicate, spiritual beauty; fey adds a hint of strangeness that ethereal lacks

  • uncanny

    emphasizes a disturbing or uncomfortable strangeness; fey can be unsettling but is often more gentle

  • whimsical

    playfully odd; fey carries a deeper, more mysterious tone than the lightheartedness of whimsical

反義詞
  • ordinary

    lacking any strange or special quality

  • mundane

    down-to-earth and practical, the opposite of otherworldly

文法句型

fey + noun

be fey

用法筆記

Frequently used in literary or descriptive writing rather than everyday conversation. Common subjects include a person's manner, voice, or the feel of a landscape — not ordinary objects or situations.

常見錯誤

❌The weather felt fey and cold.
✅There was a fey quality to the mist that hung over the lake at dawn.
💡fey describes an eerie, magical atmosphere, not ordinary unpleasantness.
❌She wore a fey dress.
✅She had a fey look in her eyes, as if she could see things others could not.
💡fey usually describes a person's manner or presence, not an object.

2. behaving in an odd or eccentric way that suggests a mind not fully in touch with

2.形容詞C2
釋義

behaving in an odd or eccentric way that suggests a mind not fully in touch with ordinary reality — but without the implication of serious mental illness.

例句

After three nights without sleep, Hamza began chatting with empty chairs in a fey manner.

fey + manner for eccentric behaviour

The old fisherman's fey tales of talking seagulls made the children both laugh and shiver.

同義詞
  • eccentric

    more neutral and widely used; fey adds a whimsical, slightly eerie flavour

  • quirky

    playfully odd in a charming way; fey has a more detached, dreamlike quality

  • unhinged

    stronger and more alarming than fey, suggesting loss of control

反義詞
  • sane

    mentally sound and rational

  • grounded

    practical and in touch with reality

文法句型

fey + noun

be fey

用法筆記

Carries a milder connotation than 'insane' — suggests harmless eccentricity or quirky behaviour rather than dangerous mental illness. Often used in an amused or affectionate tone, not as a clinical or offensive label.

常見錯誤

❌He is fey and needs to be hospitalised.
✅His fey habit of singing to his houseplants made the neighbours smile.
💡fey suggests harmless oddness, not a condition requiring medical care.
❌She went completely fey and hurt someone.
✅She became a bit fey after staying up all night reading ghost stories.
💡the word does not convey violence or serious breakdown.