English

Alternative forms

• faaanish

Adjective

faanish ‎(comparative more faanish, superlative most faanish)

1. (dated, fandom slang, often derogatory) More interested in fandom than in the subject of that fandom; of or pertaining to faans.
   • 1966 November, Grennell, Dean A., “A Pilgrim in Never-Never Country”, in Science-Fiction Five-Yearly, number 4, page 19:

     The state of Wisconsin, once one of the cooler hotbeds of faanish endeavor, today lies fallow, barren and all but devoid of the faintest crepitance of crifanac. In the days when mastadons the ilk of Bloch lumbered across its frozen tundra, upward of 6% of all FAPA resided within its limits (why, modern medical science is totally at a loss to suggest). Today: pfft: nobody a-tall.

   • 1969, Warner, Jr., Harry, All Our Yesterdays, page 41:

     "Faanish" originally was pronounced with a bleat indicated by the double vowel, becasue Tucker invented it to symbolize the sheeplike follow-the-leader habits of lots of fans. Now it usually sounds just like fan and means simply one whose hobby is fandom, not science fiction.

   • 1980, del Rey, Lester, The World of Science Fiction, 1926-1976: The History of a Subculture, page 320:

     A faanish fan is considered lacking in serious interest by some other fans, whom he regards as humorless and stuffy.

Related terms

• faanishness
• fannish

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007) Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-530567-8, page 55