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Added 9 October 2026

fable

/ˈfeɪbəl/ noun

In Latin: fābulātiō, apologus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about fable at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A fictitious narrative intended to enforce some useful truth or precept, usually with animals, etc. as characters; an apologue. Prototypically, Aesop's Fables.
Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk.
Fiction; untruth; falsehood.

verb

To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction; to write or utter what is not true.
To make up; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely; to recount in the form of a fable.

Origin

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French fable, from Latin fābula, from fārī (“to speak, say”) + -bula (“instrumental suffix”). See ban, and compare fabulous, fame. Doublet of fabula.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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