fabliau

noun

fab·​li·​au ˈfa-blē-ˌō How to pronounce fabliau (audio)
plural fabliaux ˈfa-blē-ˌō(z) How to pronounce fabliau (audio)
: a short, usually comic, frankly coarse, and often cynical tale in verse popular especially in the 12th and 13th centuries

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from Picard form of Old French fablel, fableau, diminutive of fable fable entry 1

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fabliau was in 1804

Dictionary Entries Near fabliau

fableist

fabliau

Fabraea

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Fabliau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fabliau. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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