noun
exemplum
Exemplum (noun) means a short story told to teach a lesson about right and wrong.
noun
1
A short story told to teach a lesson about right and wrong.
"In the Middle Ages preachers had enlivened their sermons with exempla – edifying tales of judgements upon sinners and mercies shown to the pious."
— Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic (1971)
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Etymology
Learned as a borrowing from Latin exemplum, and a doublet of example and sample.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of exemplum?
"exemplum" (noun) means a short story told to teach a lesson about right and wrong.