fable
fable Lexical Profile
fable Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A short fictional story, characteristically featuring animals or inanimate objects with human traits, that conveys a clear moral lesson.
"The teacher read the classic fable of the tortoise and the hare to illustrate the value of perseverance."
A false statement, fabricated account, or widely held misconception not founded on fact.
"The notion that lightning never strikes the same place twice is a common fable."
• verb
To compose, tell, or invent fictitious tales or legends (primarily literary or archaic).
"Ancient chroniclers often fabled about distant lands inhabited by fantastical creatures."
Word Nuance & Usage
A 'fable' typically features anthropomorphic animals or inanimate objects to teach a moral lesson, whereas a 'parable' uses human characters to illustrate a spiritual or ethical truth.
• Rhymes for fable
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 14th century from Old French 'fable', from Latin 'fabula' ('story, narrative, conversation'), derived from the verb 'fari' ('to speak').