# parable

/ˈpɛɹəbəɫ/ (US) · /pˈæɹəbəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/parable
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a moral story

noun · CEFR B2

a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.

For teachers: a short narrative that uses familiar situations to illustrate a moral, religious, or philosophical point by way of analogy.

- The teacher told a parable about a lost sheep to explain the importance of kindness.
- The ancient text is filled with parables that use agricultural metaphors to convey complex spiritual truths to a rural audience.

## Examples

- The teacher shared a parable about the importance of kindness.
- Many religious traditions use the parable as a primary tool for conveying complex ethical concepts to a general audience.
- While the surface narrative of the parable is easily understood, scholars often debate the deeper allegorical implications regarding social justice and personal responsibility.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.