Etymology: < Persian parī fairy, jinn, angel < Middle Persian parīk evil genius, malevolent elf or sprite < Avestan pairikā any of several beautiful but malevolent female demons employed by Ahriman to bring comets and eclipses, prevent rain, cause failure of crops and dearth, etc. Compare French péri (1697).In New Persian literature from the earliest period (9th–10th centuries), a parī is usually represented as beautiful or generally benevolent, of human shape but with wings (compare fairy in English, though the word has no etymological connection). The parī appearing in literature are most commonly female but there is a ‘King of the parī’. It is unclear why the French and English forms have e in the first syllable, but compare Turkish peri.