fable Meaning
- literary
A fable is a short, imaginative story that typically features animals, plants, or inanimate objects that have been given human characteristics, such as the ability to speak. The core purpose of a fable is to illustrate a moral lesson or a piece of practical wisdom. In modern usage, the term is most often associated with "Aesop’s Fables," which have been used for centuries to teach children about ethics and behavior. While it can sometimes be used to describe a lie or a made-up story, it is almost always used in a literary or storytelling context to highlight a hidden lesson.
fable in Conversation
Discussing children's books
- Sarah: I just found my old book of Aesop's fables in the attic.I just found my old book of Aesop's fables in the attic.
- Mark: Oh, those are classics! Does it still have the one about the tortoise and the hare?Oh, those are classics! Does it still have the one about the tortoise and the hare?
Fables are frequently associated with classic moral stories for children.
Explaining a life lesson
- Teacher: Think of this situation as a modern-day fable.Think of this situation as a modern-day fable.
- Student: So, you're saying there's a moral to the story?So, you're saying there's a moral to the story?
The word is often used metaphorically to suggest that a real-life event carries a clear moral lesson.
Examples
The fable taught us to be patient.
The fable taught us to be patient.
She wrote a clever fable about a fox and a crow to explain the danger of flattery.
She wrote a clever fable about a fox and a crow to explain the danger of flattery.
The politician's promises were nothing more than a fable designed to distract the public from the truth.
The politician's promises were nothing more than a fable designed to distract the public from the truth.