fair-minded
UK[ˌfeəˈmaɪndɪd]US[ˌferˈmaɪndɪd]
adj
Willing to judge people and situations in a fair and reasonable way; impartial.
Morpheme Breakdown
fair
mind
ed
fair
just
mind
thought
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The adjective 'fair-minded' is a relatively modern English compound, formed by combining two native English elements. The first element, 'fair', descends from the Old English fæger, which originally meant 'pleasing to the sight' but broadened to encompass moral qualities like 'just' and 'impartial'. The second element, 'mind', originates from Old English gemynd, relating to memory, thought, and intention. The suffix '-ed' is used to form adjectives meaning 'possessing or characterized by'. Thus, the literal construction 'having a fair mind' logically evolved into the modern abstract meaning of being characterized by just and unbiased judgment.
Analysis
Structure: fair (just) + mind (thought) + ed (adjective suffix)
fair: Old English fæger (pleasing, attractive, just). In this compound, it carries the sense of 'just, equitable'.
mind: Old English gemynd (memory, thought, intention). In this compound, it refers to the faculty of thought or judgment.
ed: Old English -ede, an adjectival suffix used to form adjectives from nouns, indicating 'having the qualities of'.
Examples
She is known as a fair-minded judge who listens to all arguments.
A fair-minded assessment of the evidence is required before making a decision.
His fair-minded approach helped resolve the conflict between the two departments.