tale

American  

[teyl] / teɪl /

noun

1. a narrative that relates the details of some real or imaginary event, incident, or case; story.

   a tale about Lincoln's dog.

2. a literary composition having the form of such a narrative.

3. a falsehood; lie.

4. a rumor or piece of gossip, often malicious or untrue.

5. the full number or amount.

6. Archaic. enumeration; count.

7. Obsolete. talk; discourse.

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tale British  

/ teɪl /

noun

1. a report, narrative, or story

2. one of a group of short stories connected by an overall narrative framework

3. 1. a malicious or meddlesome rumour or piece of gossip

      to bear tales against someone

   2. ( in combination )

      talebearer

      taleteller

4. a fictitious or false statement

5. 1. to tell fanciful lies

   2. to report malicious stories, trivial complaints, etc, esp to someone in authority

6. to reveal something important

7. to be self-evident

8. archaic

   1. a number; amount

   2. computation or enumeration

9. an obsolete word for talk

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tale Idioms  

1. see old wives' tale; tall tale; tell tales; thereby hangs a tale.

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Etymology

Origin of tale

before 900; Middle English; Old English talu series, list, narrative, story; cognate with Dutch taal speech, language, German Zahl number, Old Norse tala number, speech. See tell ¹

Explanation

A tale is a story, especially one that's full of creative embellishments. You can read a tale from a book, or tell a bedtime tale to the kids you're babysitting. Tales can be true or fictional, but they generally consist of a narrative, with a beginning and an end, made more interesting and exciting with vivid details. Some tales are meant to teach specific lessons (like your family's history or your community's values), while others simply relay a funny story. Tale can also mean "lie," like when your mom asks, "You're not telling a tale, are you?"

Example Sentences

The classic tale of someone who acted after an everyday encounter comes from Joe Kennedy, patriarch of the political dynasty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Yet he continues to portray his life as a tale of growth and redemption.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Satrapi, saying she was "a great artist who turned her Iranian childhood into a universal tale".

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

The group of sycophants tell a tale: Leaders attract the personalities and people who mirror their character and satisfy their needs.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Curl up on your couch with an overripe banana and forget you ever heard mention of this tale.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• account
• anecdote
• fable
• fiction
• legend
• myth
• narrative
• novel
• short story
• yarn