pixie

1 of 2

noun

pix·​ie ˈpik-sē 

variants or less commonly pixy

plural pixies

1

: fairy

specifically : a cheerful mischievous sprite

2

: a usually petite vivacious woman or girl

3

or pixie cut : a haircut worn by women and children that is very short all over the head or especially short only at the sides and back of the head

Princess Diana's pixie cut became completely iconic, and almost as famous as the princess herself, inspiring many generations since to try the elegant look.

—Isobel Larkin

pixieish

ˈpik-sē-ish 

adjective

pixie

2 of 2

adjective

variants or less commonly pixy

: playfully mischievous

pixiness noun

Did you know?

Is it pixelated or pixilated?

Pixelated is used to describe digital images in which individual pixels are discernable, as when you look closely at a large photo and can see the tiny dots that make up the image. Pixilated (coined from pixie, a pixie being a cheerful, mischievous sprite) is usually used to describe things considered whimsical, or people who seem dazed or lost in thought. While pixelated is a late 20th century coinage, pixilated has been in use since the mid-19th century.

Synonyms

Noun

• brownie
• dwarf
• elf
• faerie
• faery
• fairy
• fay
• gnome
• goblin
• gremlin
• hobgoblin
• kobold
• leprechaun
• puck
• sprite
• troll

Adjective

• arch
• devilish
• elvish
• espiègle
• impish
• knavish
• leprechaunish
• mischievous
• pixieish
• prankish
• puckish
• rascally
• roguish
• scampish
• sly
• tricksy
• waggish
• wicked

Examples of pixie in a Sentence

Noun

leave a dish of milk and some bread out for the pixies

Adjective

resorted to some pixie high jinks to liven up the office party

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lock in your short haircut with a diffuser and step out for some fun in the sun! Summertime-Fine Pixie Continuing on the short hair trend with a pixie cut– the cousin of the curly Brittany cut. —Celeste Polanco, Essence, 20 May 2024

Winehouse, played by Marisa Abela, is never a woman with depth or dimension but rather a series of stereotypes: a (relative) good girl with big dreams, an entitled talent with a vision no one understands, a manic pixie dream girl who falls headlong into love and addiction, and a cautionary tale. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1943, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pixie

• pixie cut

Kids Definition

pixie

noun

pix·​ie

variants also pixy

ˈpik-sē

plural pixies

: a mischievous elf or fairy

pixieish

-sē-ish

adjective