fable
8 synonyms and 2 antonyms for fable, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A short story, often with animal characters, written to teach a moral lesson.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A short story, often with animal characters, written to teach a moral lesson.
“Aesop's fable of the tortoise and the hare teaches that patience beats speed.”
How to use fable
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a moral fable
fables and legends
the fable goes that
Etymology
From Old French fable, from Latin fabula ("story"), rooted in fari, "to speak" — the same root gives us "fame" and "affable".
Full origin of fable →Frequently asked questions
What does “fable” mean?
The word “fable” means a short story, often with animal characters, written to teach a moral lesson. In plain terms, a short teaching-story (often with talking animals) or, more loosely, any made-up tale.
How do you pronounce “fable”?
“Fable” is pronounced FAY-buhl (/ˈfeɪbəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “fable” in a sentence?
Here is “fable” used in a sentence: “Aesop's fable of the tortoise and the hare teaches that patience beats speed.”
What part of speech is “fable”?
Depending on how it is used, “fable” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “fable” come from?
The word “fable” comes from Latin. From Old French fable, from Latin fabula ("story"), rooted in fari, "to speak" — the same root gives us "fame" and "affable".
Is “fable” a common word?
“Fable” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “fable” have?
“Fable” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a short story, often with animal characters, written to teach a moral lesson.
