fairy tale

American  

[fair-ee teyl] / ˈfɛər i ˌteɪl /

noun

1. a story, usually for children, about elves, hobgoblins, dragons, fairies, or other magical creatures.

2. an incredible or misleading statement, account, or belief.

   His story of being a millionaire is just a fairy tale.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or suggesting a fairy tale.

   a fairy-tale castle.

2. idealized or romantic, often to an unrealistic extent.

   Many people still want to believe in true love and fairy-tale endings.

fairy-tale ¹ British  

adjective

1. of or relating to a fairy tale

2. resembling a fairy tale, esp in being extremely happy or fortunate

   a true story with a fairy-tale ending

3. highly improbable

   he came out with a fairy-tale account of his achievements

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fairy tale ² British  

noun

1. a story about fairies or other mythical or magical beings, esp one of traditional origin told to children

2. a highly improbable account

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Etymology

Origin of fairy tale

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

The post called her death a "fairy tale" and used antisemitic tropes.

From BBC

Anybody with a passing familiarity with fairy tales knows that wishes can come true, but usually at a price.

From New York Times

He urged them to ignore what he predicted would be “fairy tales” from Sotheby’s witnesses.

From Seattle Times

She rhapsodizes in her high-pitched, childish voice that her mom told her "happy endings aren't just in fairy tales, they're real."

From Salon

These workers prefer the weeklong company of like-minded devotees dedicated to bringing to life scenes spun from the imagination, from nature and storybooks, from fairy tales and myth.

From Los Angeles Times