fable

1 of 2

noun

fa·​ble ˈfā-bəl 

: a fictitious narrative or statement: such as

a

: a legendary story of supernatural happenings

Minerva is in fables said, from Jove without a mother to proceed

—Sir John Davies

b

: a narration intended to enforce a useful truth

especially : one in which animals speak and act like human beings

The theme of the fable was the folly of human vanity.

c

: falsehood, lie

The story that he won the battle single-handedly is a mere fable.

fable

2 of 2

verb

fabled; fabling ˈfā-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

archaic : to tell fables

transitive verb

: to talk or write about as if true

fabler

ˈfā-b(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• allegory
• apologue
• parable

Examples of fable in a Sentence

Noun

a fable about busy ants

The story that he won the battle single-handedly is a mere fable.

He combines fact and fable to make a more interesting story.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Image In the American fable, Indigenous people are cast as side characters to innocent explorers fulfilling Manifest Destiny. —Petala Ironcloud, New York Times, 1 May 2025

The film, which won the jury prize at the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film festival, is a hilarious fable about trying to lead a creative life and failing miserably at making ends meet. —Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 24 May 2025

Verb

In the mid-to-late ’70s, when New York was sunk into the torpor of potential economic ruin, the city was fabled in another way. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025

Accompanied by a talent-rich group of Brazilian and American instrumentalists that includes keyboardist Herbie Hancock — who had played alongside Shorter in the 1960s as a member of Miles Davis fabled second great quintet — Shorter and Nascimento created something remarkable. —George Varga, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin fābula "talk, gossip, account, tale, legend," from fā-, stem of for, fārī "to speak, say" + -bula, feminine derivative of -bulum, instrumental suffix (going back to Indo-European *-d^hlom) — more at ban entry 1

Verb

Middle English fablen, borrowed from Anglo-French fabler, fableier, going back to Latin fābulārī "to talk, converse, invent a story," verbal derivative of fābula "talk, account, fable entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing fable

• beast fable

Rhymes for fable

• able
• chaebol
• label
• sable
• stabile
• stable
• table
• allocable
• educable
• integrable
• purchasable
• thermostable

Kids Definition

fable

noun

fa·​ble

ˈfā-bəl

: a short fictitious story

especially : one intended to teach a lesson and in which animals speak and act like human beings