adjective
fair
Acceptable and reasonably pleasant in quality.
The food is fair, but I prefer the restaurant downtown.
Etymology
Old English fæger meant beautiful or pleasing. The milder modern assessment keeps the positive direction while lowering its force to reasonably satisfactory or pleasant.
More examples
- The used bike is in fair condition.
- She gives a fair performance despite a few missed notes.
- The weather stays fair throughout our camping trip.
Forms
fair · fairer · fairest
Similar words
- acceptable
- Meets basic standards without necessarily being pleasant or enjoyable.
- satisfactory
- Emphasizes meeting expectations or requirements rather than pleasant qualities.