English
parable
Parable comes from Late Latin parabola ‘an allegorical relation, parable’, from Ancient Greek παραβολή ‘comparison’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- ‘to hit by throwing’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷelH-‘to hit by throwing’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷl̥-ne-h₁-reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*gʷəlnōreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβάλλω‘to throw’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαραβάλλωparabállō‘to throw beside, by or to, to hold out’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαραβολήparabolḗ‘comparison’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEparabola‘an allegorical relation, parable’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400parable
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a parable or narrative’
- Englishearliest quotation 1643same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷelH-‘to hit by throwing’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷl̥-ne-h₁-reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*gʷəlnōreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβάλλω‘to throw’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαραβάλλωparabállō‘to throw beside, by or to, to hold out’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαραβολήparabolḗ‘comparison’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEparabola‘an allegorical relation, parable’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400parable
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a parable or narrative’
- Englishearliest quotation 1643same form
Earliest quotation: 1643, John Milton, The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […]: “Which by the ancient sages was thus parabled.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- ‘to hit by throwing’
ball, quail, quill, quell, obelisk, pul, 65 more
through Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō
symbolic, ballistic, symbolist, ballista, 36 more
through Ancient Greek βάλλω ‘to throw’
problem, symbol, devil, metabolic, hyperbolic, emblem, embolism, anabolic, metabolize, hyperbola, 35 more
through Ancient Greek παραβολή ‘comparison’
through Late Latin parabola ‘an allegorical relation, parable’
Today it means
noun A short narrative illustrating a lesson (usually religious/moral) by comparison or analogy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- / parable