Tale
/teɪl/noun
A narrative or story, typically one that is imaginative or fictitious.
Did you know?In ancient cultures, tales were often viewed as a means to convey moral lessons and divine truths, intertwining the mundane with the magical.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰel-
“to count, to tell, to relate”
Old English
Old English
talu
“a narrative, a story, an account”
Middle English
Middle English
taile
“a story, a narrative, especially one that is fictitious”
14th Century
Middle English
tale
“a recital of events, a narration of happenings”
Modern English
English
tale
“a fictional or imaginative narrative, often moralistic or instructive.”