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• fairy tale
  fairy tale

  noun

  a story, usually for children, about elves, hobgoblins, dragons, fairies, or other magical creatures.
• fairy-tale
  fairy-tale

  adjective

  of or relating to a fairy tale

fairy tale

American  

[fair-ee teyl] / ˈfɛər i ˌteɪl /

noun

• fairy tales
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fairy tales
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fairy tale

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fairy tale fairy-tale

The documentary soon evolved from a potential fairy tale into a rumination on one question: “When his body is saying ‘stop,’ why does he decide to keep going?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

After Burton's fairy tale cup run finally ended, Clough said that Pep Guardiola invited him in for a glass of wine and quipped he hoped the Spaniard had "more than a glass."

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

For those who really read it without the false sense of reverence imbued by generations, Homer’s poem has the feel of a fairy tale.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

It seems like a magical retirement fairy tale: Even as you spend money in retirement, your nest egg continues to grow.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

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

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

Pictures show an exterior that conjures up images of a fairy-tale cottage hidden away among the trees, while the interior is a vibrant rainbow of colors, textures, and decor.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 17, 2026

The term for Jean and Stephen, Julian says, is “rekindlers”—though they turn out to be “non-rekindlers,” as intractable problems impose a sad outcome on their fairy-tale romance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026

Elementary students receive a simplified worldview through fairy-tale images of good and evil.

From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2025

To make it even more amazing, there’s an aviary there where you can take your tea and sit and look at these birds in this fairy-tale environment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 28, 2025

But since the incident with his fairy-tale book, he’d stopped going to school.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson