fairy tale

/ˈfɛɹi ˌteɪl/

UK: /ˈfeəɹi ˌteɪl/

fairy tale

English Noun
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Definition

A folktale or literary story featuring fairies or similar fantasy characters.

Etymology

Calque of French conte de fées, coined by French writer Madame d'Aulnoy in the late 17th century.

Example Sentences

  • "I used to love reading fairy tales when I was a child."
  • ""
  • "The Wife of Bathes Tale is evidently a Fairy-tale. It thus commences: In olde dayes of the king Artour, / Of which that Bretons speken gret honour, / All was this land fulfilled of faerie."
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