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

Explanation

A parable is a short and simple story that teaches a religious or moral lesson. The parable of the Good Samaritan and the parable of the Prodigal Son are just two examples of the many parables attributed to Jesus, as recorded in the four gospels. Parable descends from the Greek parabolē, "a comparison, analogy," from paraballein, "to compare," from the prefix para-, "beside," plus ballein, "to throw." The sense of comparing, or throwing an idea beside another, is at the heart of the word. When you hear a parable, you're meant to use the comparison to learn how to act — the fox's "sour grapes" are compared to your own downgrading of the thing you cannot have.

Example Sentences

Warren Buffett’s mentor Benjamin Graham used the parable of a business owner with an emotionally unstable partner, “Mr. Market.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

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 • Mar. 13, 2026

Mahapatra compares humanity's limited understanding of the universe -- or lack thereof -- to a well-known parable.

From Science Daily • Jan. 8, 2026

Chesterton’s parable: If you stumble on a fence in the middle of the road, don’t take it down until you know why it’s there.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

For once he had no words to instruct our minds and improve our souls, no parable that would turn Ruth May’s death by snakebite into a lesson on the Glory of God.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• fable
• tale