fairy-tale

1 of 2

adjective

: characteristic of or suitable to a fairy tale
especially : marked by seemingly unreal beauty, perfection, luck, or happiness
led a fairy-tale life
a store clerk's fairy-tale romance

fairy tale

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a story (as for children) involving fantastic forces and beings (such as fairies, wizards, and goblins)
enjoyed the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid"

called also fairy story

b
: a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending
those balletic fairy tales in which a new corps member steps in for an injured principal at the last minute and delivers a splendid performanceMargaret Willis
2
: a made-up story usually designed to mislead
an old-fashioned fairy tale depicting revolutionists as demigodsJonathan Zimmerman

Examples of fairy-tale in a Sentence

Noun the fairy tale about the sleeping princess Everything he told us about his happy marriage was just a fairy tale.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
It's capped at 50 people per session, but a second property opening in a similarly fairy-tale French setting, in the Ariège region of southwest France, in 2026 will hopefully ease some of the pressure on the waitlist. Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2025 Also two of the tycoon’s grandchildren, little fairy-tale blondies just made to be eaten. David Denby, Vulture, 3 July 2025
Noun
As a child, Carrington was raised on fairy tales in an English manor house and as an adult was caught, tragically at times, in the upheaval of WWII Europe and in the constant company of Surrealists. Literary Hub july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025 To pretend a Squid Game victory could be anything but pyrrhic would be to accept a fairy tale written by the worst people on the planet. Judy Berman, Time, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fairy-tale

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1904, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fairy-tale was in 1635

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Cite this Entry

“Fairy-tale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fairy-tale. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

fairy tale

noun
1
: a simple children's story about imaginary beings

called also fairy story

2
: a made-up story usually meant to mislead
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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