fable

fable — noun

1. A brief story, often with animals or objects that talk and act like humans, writ

1.nounB1
Definition

A brief story, often with animals or objects that talk and act like humans, written to teach a lesson about right and wrong behaviour.

Example

Sayaka's mother told her a fable about a clever fox who tricked a boastful wolf into falling down a well.

told + fable about [animal]

The old man's favourite fable teaches that slow and steady wins every race.

fable teaches that [moral]

Common collocations
  • animal fable
  • fable with a moral
  • fable teaches a lesson
  • Aesop's fables
  • fable about
Synonyms
  • parable

    uses human characters in everyday settings to teach a religious or moral lesson

  • folk tale

    traditional story passed down orally, not necessarily with an explicit moral

  • moral tale

    broader term; any story designed to teach right from wrong, not limited to animal characters

Usage Note

Frequently ends with a stated moral. The best-known collection is Aesop's Fables, traditionally attributed to a storyteller from ancient Greece.

Common Mistakes

The teacher told a fable about geometry.
The teacher told a fable about kindness.
fables teach moral lessons, not factual information.

2. A story from ancient times involving gods, heroes, or magical events, not intend

2.nounB2
Definition

A story from ancient times involving gods, heroes, or magical events, not intended to be historically accurate.

Example

The ancient Greek fable tells of a river god who fell in love with a mortal woman.

fable + about [mythological being]

Historians still debate whether the fable about the golden city was based on a real location.

Common collocations
  • ancient fable
  • Greek fable
  • Norse fable
  • fable tells of
Synonyms
  • myth

    more common term; often explains natural phenomena or cultural origins

  • legend

    may have a historical kernel; less likely to involve gods and magic

  • folklore

    uncountable; the body of traditional stories of a culture

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense emphasises mythical, supernatural content rather than a moral lesson. The word 'myth' is more common for this meaning in modern English.

3. A statement or account that is deliberately invented and presented as true, inte

3.nounB2
Definition

A statement or account that is deliberately invented and presented as true, intended to deceive others.

Example

The politician's version of the event was later exposed as a complete fable.

exposed as a fable

Adina knew the rumour was a fable spread to damage her reputation at work.

Common collocations
  • complete fable
  • exposed as a fable
  • nothing but a fable
  • mere fable
  • invent a fable
Synonyms
  • lie

    blunter and more common; any intentionally false statement, not necessarily elaborated

  • fabrication

    formal synonym that emphasises the act of inventing; interchangeable in most contexts

  • tall tale

    informal; an exaggerated story told for entertainment rather than serious deception

Antonyms
  • fact

    piece of information that can be verified as true

  • truth

    uncountable; the quality of being in accordance with reality

Usage Note

Stronger than 'lie' — implies a detailed, elaborated invention rather than a simple falsehood. Common in formal or literary criticism of someone's story.

Common Mistakes

He told a fable about being late for the bus.
He invented an elaborate fable about his career.
'fable' in this sense suggests an elaborate invention, not a minor daily excuse.

fable — verb

Word family

  • fabulous
    adjectiveB2
  • fabulously
    adverbB2
  • fabulist
    nounC2
  • fabler
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four describe fictional stories, but they differ in structure and purpose. A fable is short, uses animals or objects as characters, and states an explicit moral at the end (e.g. Aesop's 'The Tortoise and the Hare'). A parable also teaches a lesson but uses human characters in realistic everyday settings, often with a religious meaning — Jesus's parable of the Prodigal Son is a classic example. An allegory is an extended narrative where characters, objects, and events symbolise abstract ideas; Orwell's 'Animal Farm' is a political allegory, not a fable. A myth explains natural phenomena or cultural origins through gods and supernatural beings, without an explicit moral — the Greek story of Persephone explains the seasons. A fairy tale features magical creatures and fantastical events but prioritises entertainment over instruction; 'Cinderella' teaches no single moral the way a fable does.

parable ↗allegorymyth ↗fairy tale

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a fable about
  • as a fable
  • fables of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'fable' entered English in the 1300s from Old French 'fable', which came from Latin 'fabula' meaning 'story, tale, or conversation'. 'Fabula' itself grew from the Latin verb 'fari' (to speak), making 'fable' a distant relative of words like 'fate', 'fame', 'fairy', and even 'phone'. Originally it simply meant any spoken story. Over time it narrowed: first to short moral tales with animal characters (the familiar modern meaning), and later acquired the negative sense of a false or invented account.