fanon
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Elements introduced by fans which are not in the official canon of a fictional world but are widely believed to be or treated as if canonical.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
In this way, smaller groups within a fandom agree on readings which may be completely at odds with the canon, but which in time acquire legitimacy as fanon.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “fanon” mean?
Elements introduced by fans which are not in the official canon of a fictional world but are widely believed to be or treated as if canonical.
Is “fanon” formal or informal?
fanon is generally slang.