Fairy

fairy, faery, faerie, Faerie, n., p.n. (noun) 1. in common usage, a mythical being of folklore and romance usually having diminutive human form and magic powers; from Middle English fairie "fairyland" "fairy people" (does not predate 14th century); from Old French faerie, from feie, fee "fairy"; from Latin Fata, Goddess of Fate, from fatum "fate." 2. (slang) in general usage, a male homosexual (usu. pejorative). 3. in fantasy fiction or RPG milieux, creatures inspired by European fairy lore; includes dryads, nymphs, pixies, brownies, gnomes, etc. 4. pejorative term for elf. [GJ1] 5. (p.n.) in European fairy lore, the physical location and/or spiritual realm containing the fairy homeland. Also Avalon, Avalonea. [GF]
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Addendum #1: An incomplete list of alternate forms follows. Noun: (sing.) fairy, faerie, faery, (pl.) fairies, faeries, fae, fay, fairy-folk, faerie-folk, Fairy Court. Adjectives and adverbs: fae, fay, fairy-like. Also sidh (pronounced "shee"), from Gaelic daonie sidh (pronounced "theena shee"), "fairy court"; Little People, Good People, Good Folk, Seelie Court, Unseelie Court, elf. [EDE]
Addendum #2: "Faerie" is the preferred spelling for gamer/fantasy/mythology afficianados. Faeries are one of the few major fantasy milieu concepts not lifted from Tolkien. [GJ1]