noun

fans

fans, supporters, admirers

The band has millions of fans worldwide.

The band has millions of fans worldwide.

The room was hot, so we turned on the fans.

The room was hot, so we turned on the fans.

fans of ((sb./sth.)) supporters of a person or thing They are big fans of the local football team.

Synonyms: (supporters) admirers, followers; (devices) ventilators, blowers

Two distinct origins: the supporter sense is a shortening of 'fanatic'. The device sense comes from Latin 'vannus', a tool for winnowing grain.

Picture a sports FANatic using a handheld FAN to stay cool during a game. This links both common meanings.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.