fan
UK[fæn]US[fæn]
n
An apparatus with rotating blades that creates a current of air for cooling or ventilation.
n
A person who has a strong interest in and admiration for a particular person, activity, or thing.
v
To cool or refresh by moving air.
v
To spread out or cause to spread out in the shape of a fan.
Etymology
The word 'fan' originates from the Old English 'fann', which referred to a device for winnowing grain by creating a current of air. This term was borrowed from Latin 'vannus', a word of the same meaning. The Latin word is thought to derive from a Proto-Indo-European root related to the concept of wind or blowing. The semantic journey is remarkably direct: from a tool for creating wind to separate chaff, to any device for creating an airflow, and finally, by metaphorical extension in the late 19th century, to an enthusiastic devotee whose ardor is likened to the stirring of air.
Analysis
The word 'fan' is a simplex word. Its modern spelling and form are the direct result of phonological evolution from its Old English ancestor.
Examples
She turned on the ceiling fan to cool down the room.
He is a huge fan of science fiction movies.
The bird fanned its colorful tail feathers in a display.