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View synonyms for parable

parable

[par-uh-buhl]

noun

  1. a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.

  2. a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.



parable

/ ˈpærəbəl, pəˈræbəlɪst /

noun

  1. a short story that uses familiar events to illustrate a religious or ethical point

  2. any of the stories of this kind told by Jesus Christ

“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
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Other Word Forms

  • parabolist noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of parable1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English parabil, from Late Latin parabola “allegory, comparison, word,” from Greek parabolḗ “comparison,” from para- para- 1 + bolḗ “a throw”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of parable1

C14: from Old French parabole, from Latin parabola comparison, from Greek parabolē analogy, from paraballein to throw alongside, from para- 1 + ballein to throw
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Compare Meanings

How does parable compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But in the franchise’s ongoing parable of mankind’s hubris, the all-seeing enigma in “Alien: Earth” adds another reason to make us shudder.

From Salon

These feel-good features function almost like folk tales: a recognizable parable in which a benevolent stranger swoops in to resolve a community’s shameful problem, restoring order before the credits roll.

From Salon

For those who wish to find a political reading in the movie, it’s there for them, a parable about migration and fascism but also the euphoria of a headlong rush into the unknown.

“We realized that Ben really embodies the parable” about each person having two wolves inside them — a light wolf and a dark wolf.

The original script had the prequel opening with a “Once upon a time ...” parable about Wendy and the Lost Boys.

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