Tale: meaning, definitions and examples

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tale

[ teɪl ]

^{Context #1}

storytelling

A tale is a story, especially one that is imaginative or exaggerated. It can be a traditional story or a fictional narrative.

Synonyms

fable, legend, story

Examples of usage

She told a tale of a brave knight saving a princess.
The children gathered around to listen to a tale of magic and adventure.

^{Context #2}

lie

Informally, a tale can also refer to a lie or a falsehood.

Synonyms

fabrication, fib, untruth

Examples of usage

Don't believe a word he says, it's just a tall tale.
His explanation sounded more like a tall tale than the truth.

^{Context #3}

number

In some contexts, a tale can refer to a number or a count.

Synonyms

count, number, total

Examples of usage

The merchant had a tale of rare jewels for sale.
His wealth was measured by the tale of his livestock.

Translations

Translations of the word "tale" in other languages:

🇵🇹 conto

🇮🇳 कहानी

🇩🇪 Geschichte

🇮🇩 cerita

🇺🇦 казка

🇵🇱 opowieść

🇯🇵 物語 (monogatari)

🇫🇷 conte

🇪🇸 cuento

🇹🇷 masal

🇰🇷 이야기 (iyagi)

🇸🇦 حكاية (hikaya)

🇨🇿 příběh

🇸🇰 príbeh

🇨🇳 故事 (gùshì)

🇸🇮 zgodba

🇮🇸 saga

🇰🇿 ертегі

🇬🇪 ზღაპარი (zgapari)

🇦🇿 nağıl

🇲🇽 cuento

Word origin

The word 'tale' originated from Old English 'talu' or 'talu', meaning 'story' or 'tale'. It has roots in Germanic and Old Norse languages, reflecting the importance of oral storytelling traditions in ancient societies. Over time, 'tale' evolved to encompass various meanings related to storytelling, lies, and numerical counts.