fairyland

IPA/ˈfeərilænd/
KK[fˈɛrilˌænd]IPA/ˈferilænd/

fairyland — noun

1. in stories and myths, the imaginary world where fairies and other small magical

1.nounB1
Definition

in stories and myths, the imaginary world where fairies and other small magical creatures are believed to live.

Example

A young girl found a path to fairyland hidden behind a waterfall.

Jiwoo asked her grandmother whether fairyland was a real place or just made up.

Common collocations
  • path to fairyland
  • in fairyland
  • tales of fairyland
  • visitors to fairyland
Synonyms
  • fantasyland

    a manufactured or theme-park version, less rooted in folklore

  • wonderland

    focuses on strange and marvellous things, not specifically fairies

  • Otherworld

    Celtic mythology term; more formal and culturally specific

Grammar Patterns

fairyland

in fairyland

to fairyland

2. a real place that is so unusually beautiful, charming, or impressive that it rem

2.nounB1
Definition

a real place that is so unusually beautiful, charming, or impressive that it reminds you of a magical world in a story.

Example

The cherry blossom garden became a fairyland of pink and white petals in spring.

collocation: a fairyland of [noun]

At night the ice palace became a fairyland of coloured lights and frozen shapes.

Common collocations
  • a fairyland of lights
  • a winter fairyland
  • look like a fairyland
  • turn into a fairyland
  • an underwater fairyland
Synonyms
  • wonderland

    emphasises strangeness and discovery; 'fairyland' focuses on delicate beauty

  • paradise

    suggests a perfect place without any flaws; 'fairyland' is more about magical atmosphere

  • dreamscape

    more poetic and personal; 'fairyland' is more concrete and visual

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a fairyland of [noun]

look like a fairyland

turn into a fairyland

Usage Note

This sense is commonly used in travel writing and descriptions of nature or festive decorations. Subject can be a garden, city, landmark, or natural scene.

Common Mistakes

The shopping mall was a fairyland' (for an ordinary nice place).
The shopping mall at Christmas was a fairyland of lights.
add specific detail to justify the comparison.

3. an imagined perfect situation or set of ideas that has little connection to the

3.nounB2
Definition

an imagined perfect situation or set of ideas that has little connection to the practical difficulties and limits of real life.

Example

Tunde's business plan was a fairyland of impossible goals with no thought about real costs.

collocation: a fairyland of [abstract noun — impossible goals]

Femi was upset that real life did not match the fairyland in his head.

Common collocations
  • a fairyland of dreams
  • a fairyland of promises
  • live in a fairyland
  • build a fairyland
  • a fairyland where ...
Synonyms
  • fantasyland

    more dismissive and informal; 'fairyland' can be slightly milder

  • dream world

    focuses on wishful thinking; 'fairyland' implies a constructed mental picture

  • never-never land

    idiomatic, based on Peter Pan; suggests childish refusal to grow up

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a fairyland of [abstract noun]

live in a fairyland

build a fairyland

Usage Note

Frequently used in a critical or gently mocking way to describe someone's unrealistic expectations. The noun phrase after 'of' is typically abstract and idealistic (dreams, promises, goals). Can overlap with 'fantasy' but 'fairyland' carries a more childlike, storybook tone.

Common Mistakes

She lives in a fairyland' (without explanation).
She lives in a fairyland where everyone agrees with her.
specify what the unrealistic belief is.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All three words describe an exceptionally beautiful or pleasant place, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Fairyland' (sense 2) suggests a delicate, storybook beauty — the kind a child might imagine, with lights, colours, and a magical atmosphere. 'Wonderland' shares the storybook feel but emphasises strangeness and discovery rather than delicate charm; it is the right word when something is both beautiful and bizarre. 'Paradise' carries heavier emotional and cultural weight, often implying a place with no flaws at all — it can be used for tropical islands, but also has religious overtones. 'Dreamscape' is more poetic and personal, describing a scene that feels like something from a dream rather than a real place you could visit. For example, a snow-covered village at Christmas might be a 'fairyland'; a market full of oddities and surprises would be a 'wonderland'; a quiet beach with perfect weather would be a 'paradise'; and a surreal desert under a pink sky could be a 'dreamscape'.

wonderland ↗paradise ↗dreamscape ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • look like a fairyland
  • turn into a fairyland
  • live in a fairyland

Prepositions

  • in fairyland
  • to fairyland
  • a fairyland of

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'fairyland' comes from Middle English, combining 'fairie' (meaning the realm or people of the fays, from Old French 'faerie') and 'land'. 'Faerie' itself traces back to Latin 'Fata', the goddess of fate. The word was originally used to describe the mythical home of fairies in folklore, and over time developed figurative senses for any place or situation that feels magically beautiful or unrealistically perfect.

First known use

1600

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1