noun
tale
TAYL/teɪl/
A story or account of real or imagined events.
The storyteller tells an exciting tale of a dragon and castle to the children.
Etymology
Old English talu meant an account or something told, with the earliest uses referring to accounts held to be true. The word later extended to rumors and stories known to be untrue, making room for imagined narratives.
In context
They told Sara her 19-year-old daughter would be sterilized to prevent passing on what the state saw as a mental deficiency. This horrific tale may sound like a story from an authoritarian regime.
More examples
- She reads the children a fairy tale before bed.
- The hikers exchange tales of their adventures around the campfire.
- Nobody believes his tall tale about catching a giant shark.
Forms
tale · tales