Fum

/fʌm/ noun

Definition

An exclamation or word used to express disgust, suspicion, or to represent a smell; sometimes used in the fairy tale phrase 'fee-fi-fo-fum.'

Etymology

Onomatopoetic origin, imitating the sound of smelling or inhaling. The word gained fame through English folklore and children's stories, particularly in 'Jack and the Beanstalk.'

Kelly Says

'Fee-fi-fo-fum' from 'Jack the Giant Killer' is one of the oldest sound-symbolism phrases in English—nonsense words that sound like what they mean, preserved in stories for over 400 years.

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