fabulist
/ˈfæbjəlɪst/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfæbjəlɪst/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfa-byə-list/ (ame, mw)
fabulist — noun
- fabulistsingular
- fabulistsplural
1. A writer of short moral stories, often with animal characters, that teach a less
A writer of short moral stories, often with animal characters, that teach a lesson about right and wrong.
Aesop is the most famous fabulist from ancient Greece, known for his tales of talking animals.
collocation: famous fabulist
The fabulist spent years collecting folk tales from villages across West Africa.
fabulist spent years collecting / writing
Sofia wanted to become a fabulist who could teach honesty to children through her stories.
The old fabulist wrote a new fable each week for the local newspaper.
Many modern fabulists use animal characters to comment on real problems like pollution.
- storyteller
broader term — any teller of stories, not specifically moral fables
- allegorist
more formal; someone who writes allegories with hidden meanings
文法句型
a/an + fabulist
fabulist + who-clause
用法筆記
This is the original and more traditional meaning. The word is quite formal; in everyday conversation, 'storyteller' or 'writer of fables' is more common.
2. A person who says things that are not true, often making up long or colourful st
A person who says things that are not true, often making up long or colourful stories to impress others or avoid blame.
The politician was called a fabulist after claiming to have won a medal he never received.
called a fabulist after [false claim]
Fatima stopped trusting her colleague because people at the office called him a fabulist.
The journalist exposed the fabulist whose bestselling memoir was full of events that never happened.
Mei soon learned that her new friend was a fabulist who invented stories about celebrities.
In court, the witness was called a fabulist because her story changed each time.
- liar
more common and direct; lacks the 'elaborate story' flavour of fabulist
- fabricator
focuses on inventing false information, often in a professional context
- fibber
informal and milder, for small or harmless lies
- truth-teller
someone who always tells the truth
文法句型
a/an + fabulist
fabulist + who-clause
用法筆記
This sense is always negative and formal. Unlike 'liar', which can be used in any register, 'fabulist' carries an extra suggestion that the false stories are detailed, creative, or meant to make the speaker seem impressive.