tale
Americannoun
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a narrative that relates the details of some real or imaginary event, incident, or case; story.
a tale about Lincoln's dog.
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a literary composition having the form of such a narrative.
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a falsehood; lie.
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a rumor or piece of gossip, often malicious or untrue.
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the full number or amount.
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Archaic. enumeration; count.
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Obsolete. talk; discourse.
noun
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a report, narrative, or story
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one of a group of short stories connected by an overall narrative framework
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a malicious or meddlesome rumour or piece of gossip
to bear tales against someone
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( in combination )
talebearer
taleteller
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a fictitious or false statement
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to tell fanciful lies
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to report malicious stories, trivial complaints, etc, esp to someone in authority
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to reveal something important
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to be self-evident
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archaic
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a number; amount
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computation or enumeration
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an obsolete word for talk
Etymology
Origin of tale
before 900; Middle English; Old English talu series, list, narrative, story; cognate with Dutch taal speech, language, German Zahl number, Old Norse tala number, speech. See tell 1
Explanation
A tale is a story, especially one that's full of creative embellishments. You can read a tale from a book, or tell a bedtime tale to the kids you're babysitting. Tales can be true or fictional, but they generally consist of a narrative, with a beginning and an end, made more interesting and exciting with vivid details. Some tales are meant to teach specific lessons (like your family's history or your community's values), while others simply relay a funny story. Tale can also mean "lie," like when your mom asks, "You're not telling a tale, are you?"
Vocabulary lists containing tale
"Raymond's Run"
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"The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet"
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Justice, Part 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Before you tell the story of the Villa midfielder, there is a tale to be told about a family deeply ingrained in football.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
But the Jill Simpson tale was just too juicy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
But by steering the live-action Prime Video adaptation directly into the anxieties of the zeitgeist, showrunner Eric Kripke has transformed the superhero satire into a terrifying tale about the perils of authoritarianism.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Yet he continues to portray his life as a tale of growth and redemption.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026
Even so, Penelope could only marvel at his incredible tale, which started shortly after she had last seen him, when the two friends parted at the Ashton train station....
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
