fair-skinned

Meaning

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Having light skin that tends to burn easily in the sun.

   Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a fair-skinned child, she is fair-skinned.

   Patterns

   • be fair-skinned
   • fair-skinned people

   Fair-skinned travelers should wear sunscreen even on cloudy days.

   My brother is fair-skinned, so he burns after ten minutes on the beach.

   Doctors warn that fair-skinned people face a higher risk of sun damage.

Word forms

Common combinations

fair-skinned people

Fair-skinned people should avoid midday sun.

naturally fair-skinned

She is naturally fair-skinned and freckles in summer.

a fair-skinned child

A fair-skinned child needs a hat and sunscreen.

be fair-skinned

If you are fair-skinned, reapply sunscreen often.

fair-skinned and freckled

He was fair-skinned and freckled with red hair.

Synonyms and how they differ

pale

Pale can describe a temporary lack of color from illness or fear, while fair-skinned describes a lasting natural complexion.

light-skinned

Light-skinned is a broad description of skin tone, whereas fair-skinned usually suggests very light skin that burns easily.

fair

Fair alone can describe hair or complexion, while fair-skinned makes clear it refers to skin.

Opposites

Word family

fair adjective

light in color, especially of skin or hair

skin noun

the outer covering of the body

fairness noun

here, lightness of complexion

fair-haired adjective

having light-colored hair

Commonly confused: fair-skinned or thick-skinned?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “fair-skinned”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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