Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun In Persian mythology, a beautiful and benevolent supernatural being or fairy, earlier regarded as malevolent.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In heraldry, reduced in size: generally equivalent to couped. Cuzzens, Handbook of Heraldry.
  • A prefix in words of Greek origin or formation, meaning ‘around,’ ‘about,’ ‘near,’ equivalent to circum- of Latin origin, as in periphery equivalent to circumference, etc.
  • noun In Pers. myth., an elf or fairy, male or female, represented as a descendant of fallen angels, excluded from Paradise till their penance is accomplished.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Persian Myth.) An imaginary being, male or female, like an elf or fairy, represented as a descendant of fallen angels, excluded from paradise till penance is accomplished.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a sprite or supernatural being in Persian mythology.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (Persian folklore) a supernatural being descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is done
  • noun a beautiful and graceful girl

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Persian parī, from Middle Persian parīk, malevolent sprite, from Avestan pairikā, a kind of female demon.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Persian پری (pari), from Middle Persian, from Avestan (parikā) "witch".

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Examples

Comments

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  • Persian پري (peri) or fairy, genius, from Middle Persian parik. Persian folklore: a male or female supernatural being like an elf or fairy but formed of fire, descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is accomplished, and originally regarded as evil but later as benevolent and beautiful. Also a beautiful and graceful girl or woman

    August 31, 2009

  • how interesting--a technical term for 'fallen angel'

    September 12, 2009

  • So the perineum is where fallen angels hang out? Dingleberries in excelsis deo ... stick that up yer bum!

    September 12, 2009

  • Snacking on a diet of fromunda cheese and assmarmite, no doubt.

    Must not link to santorum on this page.

    Oops! too late.

    *grosses even own self out at the thought*

    September 12, 2009