parable

noun

par·​a·​ble ˈper-ə-bəl How to pronounce parable (audio)
ˈpa-rə-
Synonyms of parablenext
: a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle
the Biblical parable of the Good Samaritan
also : something (such as a news story or a series of real events) likened to a parable in providing an instructive example or lesson
In some ways, his life is a parable of the corrupting effect of great wealth, for he always assumed that everyone was after his money and out to cheat him. —Gavin Stamp
By the summer of 2014, 380 House members and 74 senators had signed on as sponsors …. The ABLE Act had become a force. Yet in a parable of how Washington works, the bill still had a long way to go. —Gail Russell Chaddock

Did you know?

Parable comes from the Latin word parabola, from Greek parabolḗ, meaning "comparison." The word parabola may look familiar if you remember your geometry. The mathematical parabola refers to a curve that is shaped like the path of something that is thrown forward and high in the air and falls back to the ground.

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of parable in a Sentence

He told the children a parable about the importance of forgiveness. the parable of the Good Samaritan
Recent Examples on the Web The parables are amazing crowd work, almost joke-telling, right? —Hazlitt, 3 Apr. 2024 Her responses are often rooted in Biblical parables and invoking of the Christian God. —Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for parable 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parable, parabol "allegorical narrative, proverb, speech," borrowed from Anglo-French parable, going back to Late Latin parabola "comparison, allegory, proverb, discourse, speech," going back to Latin, "explanatory illustration, comparison," borrowed from Greek parabolḗ "juxtaposition, comparison," "proverb" (Septuagint), "parable" (New Testament), from parabol-, stem in noun derivation of parabállein "to cast before (as fodder for a horse), expose, set beside, compare," from para- para- entry 1 + bállein "to reach by throwing, let fly, strike, put, place" — more at devil entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of parable was in the 14th century

Podcast

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Dictionary Entries Near parable

parabiosis

parable

parablepsia

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Parable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parable. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

parable

noun
par·​a·​ble ˈpar-ə-bəl How to pronounce parable (audio)
: a short simple story illustrating a moral or spiritual truth

More from Merriam-Webster on parable

Nglish: Translation of parable for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of parable for Arabic Speakers

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