Definition of parable
: example; specifically : a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle the parable of the Good Samaritan
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Examples of parable in a Sentence
He told the children a parable about the importance of forgiveness.
the parable of the Good Samaritan
Recent Examples of parable from the Web
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This is a bleak parable wrapped up in an action movie and incredible special effects.
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Some of the pieces read like poems; some like parables, some like punch lines.
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Another Burton flick with the theme of outsiderness, Edward Scissorhands seems made for queer academics looking for a modern parable.
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Foreman nursed the screenplay for two years, turning it from a parable about the United Nations into a social commentary on the Communist witch hunt gripping Hollywood.
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A timeless tale of friendship, loyalty, and love, based on parables according to the Gospel of Matthew, comes to life through an exciting array of music and dance.
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Nwandu clearly is writing a moral parable with archetypal figures.
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The mysterious disappearance of the summer job for teenagers turns out to be a perfect parable for the flexibility of the workforce.
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Theater Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: The Biblical saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful musical parable.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Parable comes to us via Anglo-French from the Late Latin word parabola, which in turn comes from Greek parabolē, meaning "comparison." The word parabola may look familiar if you remember your geometry. The mathematical "parabola" refers to a kind of comparison between a fixed point and a straight line, resulting in a parabolic curve; it came to English from New Latin (Latin as used since the end of the medieval period, especially in scientific description and classification). "Parable," however, descends from Late Latin (the Latin language used by writers in the 3rd to 6th centuries). The Late Latin term parabola referred to verbal comparisons: it essentially meant "allegory" or "speech." Other English descendants of Late Latin parabola are "parole" and "palaver."
Origin and Etymology of parable
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin parabola, from Greek parabolē comparison, from paraballein to compare, from para- + ballein to throw — more at devil
Other Literature Terms
PARABLE Defined for English Language Learners
parable
playDefinition of parable for English Language Learners
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: a short story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson; especially : one of the stories told by Jesus Christ and recorded in the Bible
PARABLE Defined for Kids
parable
playDefinition of parable for Students
: a simple story that teaches a moral lesson
Learn More about parable
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See words that rhyme with parable Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for parable Spanish Central: Translation of parable Nglish: Translation of parable for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of parable for Arabic speakers
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