Definition
View the full definition in the Macmillan Dictionary.
Origin and usage
The noun stan came into use at the start of the 21st century. It is derived from the name of an obsessive fan portrayed in Eminem’s 2000 song ‘Stan’.
Examples
The noun stan meaning an obsessive fan was first recorded at the very beginning of this century. The verb, meaning to be an obsessive fan of, came a little later, being first recorded in print in 2008. The verb is both transitive and instransitive: you can stan for someone or stan them, or you can simply stan. Fandom has produced a large number of new terms, including the noun and verb ship, referring to a desired romantic relationship between two fictional characters; the nouns and verbs fanboy and fangirl; and fan fiction or fanfic. Many of these entries were originally submitted to the Macmillan Open Dictionary. You can submit your own entries here.
Quotations
“Anyways, I hope you get this man, hit me back,
Just to chat, truly yours, your biggest fan
This is Stan.”
(Eminem, Stan)
“For the most part, the crowd was there to stan for Jay-Z.”
(Macmillan Dictionary)
Related words
enthusiast, devotee, follower, fanatic
