fable

Where does the word "fable" come from? It comes from Latin fabula, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).

Fable’s story begins in Latin: fabula meant “a story, a narrative.” A story, a narrative, from fari (to speak). It reached English by 1200s as fable. Narrowed to mean a short story with a moral, often featuring animals. Today, fable means a short story, often with animal characters, conveying a moral lesson.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fabula "a story, a narrative", a story, a narrative, from fari (to speak).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1200s fable "a short story with a moral, often featuring animals", narrowed to mean a short story with a moral, often featuring animals.