fabulous
English edit
Etymology edit
From Late Middle English fabulous, fabulose, from Latin fābulōsus (“celebrated in fable”); Equivalent to fable + -ous.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
fabulous (comparative more fabulous, superlative most fabulous)
- Of or relating to fable, myth or legend.
- Characteristic of fables; marvelous, extraordinary, incredible.
- 1949, Joseph Campbell, “The Hero and the God”, in The Hero with a Thousand Faces:
- [F]abulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: […]
- Fictional or not believable; made up.
- (obsolete) Known for telling fables or falsehoods; unreliable.
- (slang) Very good; outstanding, wonderful.
- (slang) Camp, effeminate.
- (slang) Fashionable, glamorous.
Usage notes edit
- In the sense of wonderful, the word is stereotypically associated with gay men. This may be a result of its former usage among valley girls.
Quotations edit
For quotations using this term, see Citations:fabulous.
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
mythical or legendary; incredible
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of the nature of a fable; unhistorical
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extraordinary, especially in being very large
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very good; wonderful
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.