fayre means fair, beautiful. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 85 out of 100.
fayre is pronounced /fɛə(ɹ)/.
Why “fayre” is a great word
FAYRE — [Adjective] An archaic spelling of 'fair', denoting something beautiful, pleasing, or just. From Old English fæġer ("beautiful, pleasant, agreeable") through Middle English. Unlike the standard, unmarked modern "fair" or the morally rigorous "just," "fayre" is a deliberate stylistic artifact, an orthographic costume meant to evoke a curated past. It is the hand-painted sign for a mock-Tudor tavern, the rustle of a velvet gown at a festival, or the gilded lettering on a box of anachronistic sweets—a word that is less a descriptor than a wistful invocation of a past that likely never was, but feels good to touch.
Etymology
From Middle English fayr, feir, fager, from Old English fæġer.
adj
- Fair, beautiful.“'Nay, I wyll nat so,' seyde sir Trystrames, 'for here is none that woll gyff ryghtuous jugemente. But I doute nat,' seyde sir Trystrames, 'my lady is fayrer than youres, and that woll I make good with my hondys, and who that woll sey the contrary, I woll preve hit on his hede!'”
noun
- A fair, a market.“WHERE AS before this tyme dyverse Actis of Parliament have byn made by the Kyngis most noble pgenitours agaynst forstallers and regratours of vytaile and other marchaundisez in markettis and fayres within this Realme of Englonde, […] Be it therfore enactid by auctorite of this psent parliament that noo maner of pson or psones of what estate degree or condicion he or they be, other then suche pson ”
- Fare.“A book of ye olde English fayre.”