fib

American  

[fib] / fɪb /

noun

1. a small or trivial lie; minor falsehood.

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verb (used without object)

fibbed, fibbing

1. to tell a fib.

fib British  

/ fɪb /

noun

1. a trivial and harmless lie

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verb

1. (intr) to tell such a lie

Related Words

See falsehood.

Other Word Forms

• fibber
  noun
• fibster
  noun
• unfibbing
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of fib

1560–70; short for fibble-fable nonsense, gradational compound based on fable

Explanation

A fib is a small lie. If you think your friend's haircut looks strange, but you tell her you love it, it's a fib. When you tell a fib, you fib. The thing that distinguishes a fib from a lie is that a fib isn't terribly important — it's minor or petty. You might fib to protect someone's feelings or to save yourself a long explanation about exactly why you're late to work. The origin of the word fib is uncertain, but it may come from fibble-fable, or "nonsense," which in turn comes from fable.

Example Sentences

"Perhaps the starkest," Dr Rogers said, were her attempts to explain the cancer fib.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2025

If someone were to ask me how I kept my sanity this past year, I would first probably fib and come up with something literary.

From Slate • Dec. 28, 2024

Rae’s pretext for the connection: Piano music helps her work, and Yoori was recommended by someone who overheard her practicing at the music school, a fib that the sweet but self-effacing Yoori hardly believes.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 6, 2024

He wasn’t aware at the time, but the daughter had gone next door and called 911 to say someone had been stabbed — a fib that she later retracted, White said.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2023

Although the last part was a bit of a fib, I hoped the mention of family would put him in a sensible frame of mind.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu