Parable
/ˈpær.ə.bəl/noun
A short story or comparison used to teach a moral or spiritual lesson.
Did you know?Parable comes from Greek *parabolē*, a term for “comparison” or “juxtaposition,” built from language about throwing or placing things side by side—proof that stories have long been used as coded spiritual weapons.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰel-
“to throw, strike”
Ancient Greek
Greek
parabolē
“a comparison, juxtaposition, or illustrative story”
Late Latin
Latin
parabola
“a comparison, figure of speech, or saying”
Old French
Old French
parabole
“a parable or proverb”
Middle English
English
parable
“a short allegorical or moral tale”