# fairy tale

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfɛɹi ˌteɪl/

## Definitions
1. A folktale or literary story featuring fairies or similar fantasy characters.
2. The literary genre of these stories.
3. A story presented as true that is not believable.
4. A delightful and ideal situation of a kind attained by very few.

## Etymology
Calque of French conte de fées, coined by French writer Madame d'Aulnoy in the late 17th century.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/fairy-tale