fable

[ fey-buhl ]

noun

1. a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters; apologue: Aesop's fables.

   the fable of the tortoise and the hare;

   Aesop's fables.

2. a story not founded on fact:

   This biography is largely a self-laudatory fable.

3. a story about supernatural or extraordinary persons or incidents; legend:

   the fables of gods and heroes.

4. legends or myths collectively:

   the heroes of Greek fable.

5. an untruth; falsehood:

   This boast of a cure is a medical fable.

6. the plot of an epic, a dramatic poem, or a play.
7. idle talk:

   old wives' fables.

verb (used without object)

, fa·bled, fa·bling.

1. to tell or write fables.
2. to speak falsely; lie:

   to fable about one's past.

verb (used with object)

, fa·bled, fa·bling.

1. to describe as if actually so; talk about as if true:

   She is fabled to be the natural daughter of a king.

fable

/ ˈfeɪbəl /

noun

1. a short moral story, esp one with animals as characters
2. a false, fictitious, or improbable account; fiction or lie
3. a story or legend about supernatural or mythical characters or events
4. legends or myths collectively fabulous
5. archaic.
   the plot of a play or of an epic or dramatic poem

verb

1. to relate or tell (fables)
2. intr to speak untruthfully; tell lies
3. tr to talk about or describe in the manner of a fable

   ghosts are fabled to appear at midnight

Derived Forms

• ˈfabler, noun

Other Words From

• fa·bler noun
• out·fa·ble verb (used with object) outfabled outfabling
• un·fa·bling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fable¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English fable, fabel, fabul, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin fābula “a story, tale,” equivalent to fā(rī) “to speak” + -bula suffix of instrument

Word History and Origins

Origin of fable¹

C13: from Latin fābula story, narrative, from fārī to speak, say

Synonym Study

See legend.

Related Words

• fantasy
• fiction
• legend
• myth
• parable
• tale
• yarn