# parable

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpaɹəbəl/ · frequency rank #25,515

## Definitions
1. A short narrative illustrating a lesson (usually religious/moral) by comparison or analogy.

## Etymology
From Middle English parable, from Old French parable, parabole, from Late Latin parabola, from Ancient Greek παραβολή (parabolḗ, “comparison”). Doublet of parabola, parole, and palaver.

## Easily confused with
- **parade** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-parade)
- **parole** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-parole)
- **payable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-payable)
- **potable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-potable)
- **pliable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-pliable)
- **parallel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-parallel)
- **portable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-portable)
- **playable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-playable)
- **passable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parable-vs-passable)
- **palpable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palpable-vs-parable)

## Common misspellings (11)
`aprable`, `paarble`, `parabble`, `parabel`, `parablle`, `paralbe`, `parbale`, `parible`, `parrable`, `pparable`, `praable`

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