Definition

Noun 1. A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral lesson. This is the most common meaning, referring to a type of folk tale designed to teach a practical truth or ethical principle. 2. A story about mythical or supernatural beings or events; a legend. This meaning refers to a narrative that is not based in fact, often involving gods, heroes, or magical creatures. 3. A false statement or account; a fabrication. This meaning refers to something invented or untrue, not a traditional story.

Examples

• Noun (Moral Story):
  • Aesop's fable "The Tortoise and the Hare" teaches that slow and steady wins the race.
  • Many children learn about honesty through the fable of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."
• Noun (Legend/Myth):
  • The ancient fables of Greece explain the origins of the world through the actions of gods.
  • His book collects the fables and folklore of the indigenous people.
• Noun (Falsehood):
  • His excuse for being late was an obvious fable.
  • The claim that the building is haunted is mere fable.

Advanced Usage

• "Moral of the fable": The lesson or principle that a fable is intended to teach.
  • The moral of the fable is that greed often leads to loss.
• "To be a fable": To be a widely told but untrue story.
  • The idea that he worked alone is now considered a fable.

Variants and Related Words

• Fabled (adj): Famous or well-known, especially from myths or stories; often implying something legendary or idealized.
  • They searched for the fabled city of gold.
• Fabular (adj): Relating to or resembling a fable.
  • The novel has a fabular quality.
• Fabulist (n): A person who composes or tells fables; or, more commonly, a liar.
  • Aesop is the most famous fabulist. / He was exposed as a fabulist who invented his war stories.

Synonyms

• Parable: A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.
• Allegory: A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
• Legend: A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated.
• Myth: A traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon.
• Fabrication: A false statement or story.

Idioms and Phrases

• "Old wives' fable": A superstitious or foolish story believed by the credulous.
  • The idea that carrots help you see in the dark is an old wives' fable.

Noun

1. a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
2. a short moral story (often with animal characters)
3. a deliberately false or improbable account