definitions

fairy tale

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fairy tale ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a story, usually for children, about elves, hobgoblins, dragons, fairies, or other magical creatures.
an incredible or misleading statement, account, or belief: His story of being a millionaire is just a fairy tale.

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RELATED WORDS

fable, myth, tale, yarn

Nearby words

fairy primrose, fairy ring, fairy shrimp, fairy stone, fairy swallow, fairy tale, fairy-slipper, fairy-tale, fairyfloss, fairyhood, fairyism

Origin of fairy tale

First recorded in 1740–50
Also called fairy story.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for fairy tale

fairy tale

fairy story

noun

a story about fairies or other mythical or magical beings, esp one of traditional origin told to children
a highly improbable account
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012