parable

American  

[par-uh-buhl] / ˈpær ə bəl /

noun

1. a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.

   Synonyms:

   apologue, homily, allegory

2. a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.

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parable British  

/ ˈpærəbəl, pəˈræbəlɪst /

noun

1. a short story that uses familiar events to illustrate a religious or ethical point

2. any of the stories of this kind told by Jesus Christ

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Other Word Forms

• parabolist noun

Etymology

Origin of parable

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English parabil, from Late Latin parabola “allegory, comparison, word,” from Greek parabolḗ “comparison,” from para- para- ¹ + bolḗ “a throw”

Compare meaning

How does parable compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• allegory vs. parable

Example Sentences

The same could just as unnervingly be said about “The Crucible,” Miller’s parable about the McCarthy witch hunts.

From Los Angeles Times

The 65-year-old came to court in downtown Los Angeles for closing arguments this month in one of the biggest trials of his career, armed with a parable of leavened bread.

From The Wall Street Journal

Coogler’s period piece-meets-horror parable heads into Sunday’s awards ceremony with a record-breaking 16 nominations to Anderson’s 13 nods for “One Battle.”

From Salon

A perennially resonant Gospel parable is the one about the vineyard owner with two sons whom he summoned to work on his property.

From The Wall Street Journal

Nimble and inventive, with convincing special effects work, the film is a charming parable that continually finds ways to reset itself.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fable
• tale