fabulous
FAB-yuu-luhs
Fabulous (adj) means Wonderful, impressive, or excellent. Example: “The view from the hotel balcony was absolutely fabulous.”
adj
1
Wonderful, impressive, or excellent.
"The view from the hotel balcony was absolutely fabulous."
"We had a fabulous time at the wedding."
"She looked fabulous in the red dress."
2
So extraordinary or unbelievable that it sounds like a myth or legend.
"Old stories tell of a fabulous beast that guarded a hidden treasure."
"The book is full of fabulous creatures, such as dragons and winged horses."
"The pharaoh was said to possess fabulous wealth."
How to use fabulous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishToday mostly used to mean "amazing" or "brilliant," though it originally meant "like something out of a fable."
Common pairings
a fabulous time
fabulous wealth
look fabulous
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more fabulous
- Superlative
- most fabulous
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The view from the hotel balcony was absolutely _____.
Etymology
From Latin fabulosus, "celebrated in fable," from fabula, "story" — the same root as "fable."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for fabulous
See all rhymes for fabulous →Frequently asked questions
What does “fabulous” mean?
The word “fabulous” means wonderful, impressive, or excellent. In plain terms, today mostly used to mean "amazing" or "brilliant," though it originally meant "like something out of a fable.".
How do you pronounce “fabulous”?
“Fabulous” is pronounced FAB-yuu-luhs (/ˈfæbjʊləs/ in IPA).
How do you use “fabulous” in a sentence?
Here is “fabulous” used in a sentence: “We had a fabulous time at the wedding.”
What is another word for “fabulous”?
Words with a similar meaning to “fabulous” include excellent.
What part of speech is “fabulous”?
“Fabulous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “fabulous” come from?
The word “fabulous” comes from Latin. From Latin fabulosus, "celebrated in fable," from fabula, "story" — the same root as "fable.".
Is “fabulous” a common word?
“Fabulous” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “fabulous” have?
“Fabulous” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: wonderful, impressive, or excellent.
What is the difference between fabulous and fantastic?
In everyday praise the two are interchangeable: both mean wonderful or excellent. Their older senses differ slightly — 'fantastic' originally described things existing only in fantasy or imagination, while 'fabulous' described things so extraordinary they sounded like they belonged in a fable or legend.
Is fabulous a formal or informal word?
In the sense of 'wonderful', fabulous is informal and enthusiastic, common in speech and lifestyle writing but out of place in formal reports, where 'excellent' or 'outstanding' fits better. Its older sense, as in 'fabulous creatures', still appears in literary and historical writing.
Is fabulous related to the word fable?
Yes. Both trace back to the Latin word fabula, meaning a story, and the older sense of fabulous describes things so extraordinary or unbelievable that they sound like myth or legend — 'fabulous wealth' or 'fabulous beasts'. The modern meaning of 'wonderful' grew out of that idea of the astonishing.
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