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 fairy tale of the princess and the pea tells of a young royal so sensitive she could detect a tiny pea hidden beneath many mattresses.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

By the time I understood this in the late ’90s, we were living in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, and the fact carried the weight of a fairy tale.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

A Goldilocks economy, as the fairy tale goes, is not too fast and not too slow.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

Vicki Pavitt, a London-based love coach, often helps people who thought they'd found their soulmate, only to discover that the fairy tale came with emotional manipulation, flakiness, and a constant sense of anxiety.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

They look like glass, like the ones Cinderella wears, straight out of a fairy tale.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles