fan English · revision 1865

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing, clipping|attested=a800|origins=la vannus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fæn/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The word for an air-moving device is [[inh|enm|fanne]], [[inh|ang|fann|t=winnowing basket or shovel]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) earlier [[m|ang|fon]],^(Barnhart 1995) [[bor|la|vannus|t=winnowing fan]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Hoad 1986) perhaps related to [[m|la|ventus|t=wind]] (see [[wind]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) Old English had no letter ''v'', hence the initial ''f''.^(Etymonline) The word for an enthusiast (1889, American English) is probably short for [[fanatic]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) perhaps influenced by the [[fancy]], a collective term for followers of a sport such as boxing.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A basket or wooden shovel for winnowing grain by tossing it in the air, so that the lighter chaff blows away (a800).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The winnowing fan of the Gospels (“whose fan is in his hand”) gave the word its first meaning.^(SOED 2002)^(Weekley 1921) About 1390, in Chaucer, it was first used of a device for moving the air to cool the face,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and the hand-held fan, a 16th-century introduction, is recorded from 1555.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921) Things shaped like an open fan, such as a bird's tail or a spread of light, were called fans from the late 16th century,^(SOED 2002) and the rotating bladed machine that drives air followed.^(SOED 2002)^(AHD) The verb, from Old English ''fannian'', first meant to winnow grain (c. 1000);^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) to stir up air dates from the early 15th century,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) and to strike out a batter in baseball from 1909.^(Etymonline) The noun meaning a devotee began among American baseball followers;^(Etymonline)^(Cassell) an isolated use in 1682 (“loyal Phans”) is probably a separate shortening of ''fanatic''.^(Etymonline)^(Cassell)^(SOED 2002) The Latin source of ''fanatic'', ''fānāticus'', meant “of a temple” and hence “inspired by orgiastic rites, frantic”.^(Abracadabra 2004)^(Cresswell 2021) Compounds include ''fan mail'' (1920 in Etymonline, 1924 in Barnhart) and ''fan club'' (by 1930).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a800 – a winnowing basket.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1000 – as a verb, to winnow.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1390 – a device for moving air (Chaucer).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1555 – a hand-held fan.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1682 – an isolated use for a fanatic.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1889 – an enthusiast (American English).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1909 – to strike out a batter.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A device for creating a current of air, especially a machine with rotating [[blade]]s driven by a motor.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A folding or flat hand-held device, often wedge-shaped when open, waved to cool the face.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Something shaped like an open fan, such as a bird's tail or a spread-out deposit of [[alluvium]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A device for [[winnow|alt=winnowing]] grain.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # An enthusiastic follower of a sport, performer, pastime or person; a [[devotee]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To move air, or cool someone, with a fan or as if with one.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To stir up or intensify, as a fire or feelings.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To spread out in the shape of a fan (often with ''out'').^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To winnow grain.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(baseball)'' To strike out a batter, or to strike out.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To fire a gun rapidly, as by striking the hammer with the palm.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fanlike]]

+ * [[fanback]]

+ * [[fanfold]]

+ * [[fanjet]]

+ * [[fanleaf]]

+ * [[fanweed]]

+ * [[fanwise]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fanatic]]

+ * [[fancy]]

+ * [[winnow]]

+ * [[vane]]

+ * [[van]]

+ * [[wind]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}