parable

American  

[par-uh-buhl] / ˈpær ə bəl /

noun

1. a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.

   Synonyms:

   apologue, homily, allegory

2. a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.

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parable British  

/ ˈpærəbəl, pəˈræbəlɪst /

noun

1. a short story that uses familiar events to illustrate a religious or ethical point

2. any of the stories of this kind told by Jesus Christ

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Other Word Forms

• parabolist noun

Etymology

Origin of parable

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English parabil, from Late Latin parabola “allegory, comparison, word,” from Greek parabolḗ “comparison,” from para- para- ¹ + bolḗ “a throw”

Compare meaning

How does parable compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• allegory vs. parable

Example Sentences

A perennially resonant Gospel parable is the one about the vineyard owner with two sons whom he summoned to work on his property.

From The Wall Street Journal

Nimble and inventive, with convincing special effects work, the film is a charming parable that continually finds ways to reset itself.

From Los Angeles Times

Inappropriately invoking an overused parable might make Mr. Carney sound clever, but it shows a lack of deep thinking.

From The Wall Street Journal

His genial demeanour and penchant for folksy parables belie a past as a wily guerrilla fighter and ruthless political survivor.

From Barron's

Mahapatra compares humanity's limited understanding of the universe -- or lack thereof -- to a well-known parable.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• fable
• tale