fable

noun

fa·ble | \ ˈfā-bəl

Definition of fable

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

verb

fabled; fabling\ ˈfā-b(ə-)liŋ

Definition of fable (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

archaic : to tell fables

transitive verb

: to talk or write about as if true

Other Words from fable Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about fable

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Synonyms for fable

Synonyms: Noun

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 Next on May 21 and 22 is the classic musical Guys and Dolls, a musical fable of Broadway, based on a story and characters of Damon Runyon; music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows. — courant.com, "Community News For The Windham Edition," 26 Mar. 2021 Wallis’s captivating central turn as a defiant six-year-old living on a Louisiana bayou that imbues Benh Zeitlin’s tender fable with magic and earned the young performer a best-actress nomination at the 2013 Oscars. — Radhika Seth, Vogue, "11 of the Youngest Acting Nominees in Oscar History," 21 Mar. 2021 Once Upon a Time — from beginning to end, Chika takes control of her narrative and spins it into a modern fable. — Stephen Daw, Billboard, "First Out: New Music From Chika, Phoebe Bridgers, Shaed & More," 12 Mar. 2021 Yes, this is an adaptation of the famous fable about the tiny chicken who thinks the sky is falling. — Josh Spiegel, Vulture, "A Crash Course in the History of Disney Animation Through Disney+," 11 Jan. 2021 The Silence is more of an urban, contemporary fable of horror, if the end to electronic communications is your idea of horror. — Alexander Chee, The New Republic, "Life in the Post-Internet Dystopia," 29 Dec. 2020 Who doesn’t love a good frightful fable every now and then? — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, "The 50 Best Horror Movies on Shudder," 2 Jan. 2021 The sly expression, the slightness of stature, the ears befitting a fable. — New York Times, "What if the Great American Novelist Doesn’t Write Novels?," 15 Dec. 2020 If there ever were a time for an escapist fable, it’s 2020. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "Emily Blunt on Wild Mountain Thyme and Her Romantic Virtual Press Tour Wardrobe," 15 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for fable

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 *-dhlom) — 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"

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